If you’ve lost a tooth and want to replace it, a dental implant is a long-lasting solution. Getting an implant from a certified dentist enhances your oral health while improving the appearance of your teeth. Here are a few reasons to get dental implants:
1. Restore Chewing Function
A dental implant is a tooth replacement option used to replace the tooth and its root. It features a cylindrical screw that acts as an artificial tooth root. This screw fuses with the jawbone, creating a solid foundation for the artificial tooth. When properly installed, your dental implant will help restore your chewing function. This allows you to bite and chew food with the same force as other natural teeth. Your dentist will design this device to look, feel, and work like a natural tooth. Dental implants differ from dentures that can slip or slide in your mouth while chewing. That means you can bite and chew, knowing your dental implant won’t slide out of place.
2. Keep Adjacent Teeth Stable
When you have missing teeth, the adjacent teeth tend to lean towards those gaps. This movement often leads to teeth misalignment, which can cause issues with your bite. Misaligned or crooked teeth are prone to wear and tear when chewing. They’re also difficult to brush since food particles move deep into the developed nooks and crannies. Installing dental implants fills those gaps and prevents adjacent teeth from drifting. This keeps your adjacent teeth stable while maintaining a well-aligned bite. It also allows for easier and more effective teeth brushing to prevent buildup of plaque and tartar.
3. Prevent Bone Loss
Failure to replace missing teeth can lead to bone loss. In a normal situation, the root of your tooth stimulates the jawbone, helping it rebuild and maintain its mass. When you lose a tooth, the part of your jawbone that holds the root doesn’t get stimulated. This leads to deterioration of your jawbone in a process called bone resorption. Installing dental implants allows the screw to fuse with the jawbone and provide the necessary stimulation. The screw functions like the natural tooth root and stimulates the jawbone when biting or chewing. It helps prevent bone loss while improving your jawbone’s strength and structure.
4. Preserve Your Facial Structure
Bone loss after losing teeth can affect the appearance of your face. Losing teeth can cause changes like collapsed cheeks, sagging skin, and a sunken appearance. For some people, the distance between the chin and nose becomes smaller. Getting dental implants can help preserve facial structure for people with missing teeth. The implant attached to your jawbone prevents bone loss, which could cause your face to shrink.
5. Improve Speech Clarity
Missing teeth are among the reasons why some people experience difficulties in pronunciation. The gaps between the adjacent teeth impede the correct placement of your tongue, allowing air to escape. This issue might cause whistling sounds when you attempt to pronounce certain words. Dental implants fill these empty spaces to enhance speech clarity. They enable natural tongue movement so you can more easily pronounce certain sounds.
Get Quality Dental Implants From Your Dentist
A dental implant procedure is an outpatient treatment that can give quick results. Before the procedure, your dental specialist will examine your oral condition to develop an effective treatment plan. The treatment typically requires a second appointment to attach a permanent crown to the implant. Contact your dentist today to learn more about dental implants, including the installation process.
