Besides depriving you of your smile, living with missing teeth also has health effects. As such, replacing missing teeth doesn’t serve the aesthetics purpose alone – it does so much more, including boosting your self-esteem.
Unlike in the past, where there were fewer options for replacing missing teeth, dental implants have greatly served this purpose for over 30 years. Dental implants are metallic screw-like roots that are bonded with the jaw bone. They are then connected to a custom-made crown through an abutment, to restore the look and functionality of your lost tooth.
Other than their aesthetic value, here are some of the health benefits of dental implants you should know:
1. Reduced Load On Other Teeth
Dental implants aren’t the only option of replacing missing teeth. Overdentures and bridges also serve this function, but these often depend on adjacent teeth for support. On the other hand, dental implants are independent in retention and support, since they are embedded in the jaw bone to support a single crown. This means that they don’t rely on adjacent teeth for support, which reduces the load on those teeth.
2. Healthy Bone Structure
The exposure of the jaw bone after losing a tooth easily leads to its degeneration. Most individuals who lose one or more teeth often suffer bone atrophy, which is a serious side effect of tooth loss. This happens since the roots of the lost teeth no longer stimulate the jaw bone. While other forms of teeth replacement such as overdentures may replace the visible part of the teeth, dental implants replace the root, which keeps the jaw bone stimulated. Ultimately, this prevents bone degeneration.
3. Better Health for Adjacent Teeth
Dental bridges are often used in teeth replacement. However, fitting bridges calls for the removal of the enamel from the adjacent teeth to place crowns for the bridge’s support. Dental implants, on the other hand, have zero negative impact on the adjacent healthy teeth.
4. Prevent Drifting and Supra-Erupting
All teeth perform a specific function, and replacing a missing tooth with a dental implant helps restore functionality. With a missing tooth, adjacent teeth easily drift into the space left. Missing teeth also eliminate the support they provided for their upper or lower counterparts. As such, these teeth opposite the missing ones may “supra-erupt,” leading to bite problems, periodontal issues, and even tooth wear.
Dental implants offer an effective way of replacing missing teeth. Particularly, they preserve the health of adjacent teeth, prevent jaw bone degeneration, and also prevent drifting of other teeth.
If you are interested in learning more about teeth implants and finding out if you’re a good candidate for them, give Dentistry On Broadway a call to schedule a free consultation where we’ll go over all of your options.
