If you have a missing tooth, you are not alone. Millions of Americans have lost teeth for a variety of reasons. Poor oral hygiene habits, injuries, illness, and even genetics can play into the chances that you will lose at least one tooth over your lifetime.
A lost tooth can wreak havoc on your self-esteem and confidence, but those are the least concerns when compared to the damage a missing tooth can cause to your gums and jaw bone. If missing teeth are haunting you and you want a solution that is as natural as possible, dental implants may be your best option.
The major benefit of dental implants is that they function almost exactly as your natural teeth would. You can eat and drink the same things without worrying about damaging them. The shade of the porcelain is matched to that of your other teeth so they blend in with your smile. Implants make you feel as if you never lost a tooth in the first place.
While the aesthetic benefits are nice, those are the tip of the iceberg. Each tooth has a root that is implanted in your jawbone, and it stimulates the jawbone to regenerate bone. Once the root is removed, the bone immediately starts to die off and may even crumble. This means other teeth will shift and possibly fall out, and the shape of your mouth may quickly change. Because implants are placed right in the jawbone by a dentist, the rod does the job your natural tooth’s root would do, and keeps the bone strong and regenerating.
It is also easier to care for your mouth when you have implants. The confidence you have in your smile makes you want to care for it, and implants can be cleaned in the same way as natural teeth: with a daily oral hygiene routine of brushing and flossing.
Losing a tooth is inevitable for some and can have detrimental effects on your mouth and your overall health. That’s where a dentist comes in to replace teeth with implants that look and feel just as natural as the rest of your smile. Contact Dr. Toback at Shoreline Periodontics & Dental Implants in Westerly, RI to learn more.