Missing one or more teeth can take a toll on your quality of life. Just one missing tooth can make it more difficult to chew thoroughly, speak clearly, and smile without feeling self-conscious. It can even lead to further dental issues. Fortunately, dental implants are available to replace your missing teeth and improve your quality of life. They can even help you stay healthier, therefore living longer! Here are some of their benefits.
Preventing Additional Tooth Loss
When a tooth is removed and not replaced in a timely manner, the jawbone is reabsorbed by the body. This causes the surrounding teeth to shift around and lead to misalignment, loose teeth, and further tooth loss. This makes it even more difficult to eat nutritious food, making your dietary options less healthy. Dental implants are the only tooth replacement option out there that replaces the roots of the missing teeth, preventing jawbone atrophy and related effects.
Prevents Gum Disease
If your denture or bridge isn’t fitting right or haven’t cared for it properly, it can be more difficult for you to remove food and bacteria from your prosthesis, restoration, and mouth. Poor oral hygiene can result in gum disease, like gingivitis and periodontitis. This means gum inflammation, bleeding, additional tooth loss, and more. Periodontitis can also increase your risk of serious health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, pregnancy complications, Alzheimer’s disease, and lung infections.
Brushing and flossing is made much easier with dental implants. Since dental implants act just like your natural teeth, you can brush and floss thoroughly. This reduces your chances of developing gum disease and associated health risks.
Encourages a Healthy Diet
When you have a tooth replacement option like a bridge or denture, there are several different types of food that are difficult to eat and best avoided. The problem is that many of these foods are healthy, like harder fruit and vegetables that are loaded with nutrients that are rich sources of fiber and linked with heart health. With dental implants, eating is made easier because you don’t need to worry about eliminating any of your favorite foods from your diet.
In addition to the other benefits, dental implants can encourage excellent health and could even expand your lifespan. Talk to your dentist to find out if you are a good candidate!
About the Author
Dr. Adriana Zaharie is an experienced dentist who has been working in the field for more than two decades. She earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from the University of Antioquia before earning her Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. To learn more about dental implants or to schedule a consultation at her office in Katy, visit her website or call (281) 395-2100.