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Missing teeth can make it extremely difficult to smile around friends and family. Thankfully, dental implants can make that process that much easier after placement. But many people don’t realize that dental implants are far more than simply a cosmetic solution to missing teeth. In fact, the restorative benefits of dental implants are truly unique compared to more traditional solutions, such as bridges and dentures.
What do these benefits include? Here’s what you expect after completing your dental implant treatment!
Improved Oral Health
When teeth are lost, much more is happening inside your mouth than you realize. For example, future teeth are at higher risk of falling out once teeth are lost. As your bone tissue begins to deteriorate due to lack of stimulation from the tooth’s root, your face’s overall structure will also begin to collapse and become asymmetrical over time. Once you have a dental implant placed, your valuable bone tissue is regularly stimulated by regular forces from chewing your favorite foods. Easier chewing means you can expand your range of food choices and keep a more balanced diet.
Additionally, dental implants prevent neighboring teeth from shifting into the open space after teeth are lost. Preventing this inevitable shift keeps your teeth aligned and your bite even, reducing the risk of developing debilitating conditions like TMJ disorder or bruxism (chronic teeth grinding.)
Boosts in Self-Esteem and Confidence
It’s obvious that filling the gaps in your mouth is going to encourage you to smile more often. But the real question is, how does smiling more affect your mood throughout the day? The fact is when you have a smile you’re proud to show off, you’re more willing to express yourself and show your true feelings around your friends and family. This results in higher self-esteem, confidence and a positive boost in mood on a daily basis.
Maintain Natural Tooth Structure
If you were to replace your missing teeth with a traditional bridge, you wouldn’t only have to pay for the cost of treatment. Traditional bridges require the removal of tooth structure to place because the teeth adjacent to the gap in your smile act as anchors for your restoration. Dental implants utilize titanium posts to hold teeth, which means they use materials strong enough to hold restorations entirely on their own; no removal of tooth structure is needed for their placement.
Pass on Dentures
Dentures may be an affordable option at first to replace missing teeth, but their benefits are quickly diminished after a few years of wear. When you have dental implants replacing teeth, you don’t have to worry about using denture adhesive to keep your restoration in place. You also don’t need to worry about relining or replacing your denture every certain amount of years just to keep your smile. Of course, those who want to have dental implants work in tandem with a denture can easily do so if they so choose.
Are you ready for a more comprehensive solution for tooth loss? Schedule an appointment with a dentist today to discuss your future smile makeover!
About the Author
Dr. Angelo M. Julovich earned his DDS degree from the Indiana University School of Dentistry. After your dental implant is placed, you can get a fully-customized crown, bridge or denture to restore your newly fitted tooth root replacement! To learn more about his expertise, you can contact him through his website.