Getting dental implants can be a wise choice for adults who have had a tooth removed due to trauma or anyone born with a missing tooth. Implants are also often good choices for adolescents who have completed their facial growth development.
1. Implants Prevent Bone Loss
Your jawbone provides a firm foundation for your teeth. The roots of your teeth are firmly embedded in this bone. Unfortunately, whenever you lose a tooth, the underlying bone begins to deteriorate, or resorb. The bone begins melting away. This is one reason why it is so important to get a dental implant if you are able to, since it helps to serve as a replacement tooth root and prevent bone loss.
Your new dental implant will serve as a replacement tooth root to help prevent bone loss. The stimulation of the implant prevents bone resorption that would otherwise occur with a missing tooth. Your new implant and jawbone will actually form a tight bond with each other, offering a firm foundation for your dental implant that looks and functions like a real tooth.
Not getting a dental implant to replace a missing tooth can also have cosmetic effects. When a tooth in the front part of your mouth is missing, the bone in this area normally begins melting away quickly. This leads to a look that the bones and gums are collapsing and caving in. When smiling, this defect will often be visible.
If you elect to have a tooth-supported bridge, it will begin to resemble a false tooth because the bone and gums above the area start collapsing, which leaves the false tooth without support. On the other hand, if you receive a dental implant, the bone will be preserved and no bone defect will be visible.
2. Dental implants preserve surrounding teeth.
As we have mentioned, a missing tooth will eventually lead to bone loss, or resorption. But there’s also another problem: the gap left by the missing tooth will eventually lead to surrounding teeth shifting into this space. In turn, this causes a variety of problems with your bite and gums.
There really is no need to involve surrounding teeth, since your new dental implant performs the function of a real tooth root, offering a stable foundation for your replacement tooth. Other tooth replacement techniques cannot replace missing tooth roots. Receiving a bridge requires removing some of the adjacent tooth structure and actually compromises the long-term health of surrounding teeth.
3. Dental implants have a track record of long-term success.
Although dental implants are somewhat more expensive than other tooth replacement options, they are well worth the cost. In fact, they are designed to last for the rest of your life. Dental implant procedures have the highest success rates among tooth replacement treatments.
Contrast this with just a 10-year average lifespan for dental bridges, according to the American Dental Association. The reason is that teeth surrounding the bridge are more vulnerable to fracture and decay.
Schedule Your Consultation
If you would like to learn more about how dental implants can help improve your smile, we invite you to contact us today to book your consultation as the first step in receiving dental implants from Village Green Dentistry.