Dental implants are an increasingly popular way for patients who have lost one or more of their natural teeth to regain confidence in their smile. Having gaps in your mouth from missing teeth can be a major source of social embarrassment and can cause you to hide your smile away in public. However, there are also other health implications that mean you should seriously consider replacing your missing teeth.
When teeth are lost, any remaining teeth may shift position as they move into any gaps. This can cause them to become crooked and more difficult to clean, which in turn can increase the chances of plaque build-up, gum disease and tooth decay.
Losing your teeth can also impact on your ability to enjoy a healthy diet. You may find yourself limited to a soft food diet if you have lost several teeth, and even one missing tooth increases the amount of strain put on your remaining teeth.
Why dental implants?
Dental implants are the only permanent way to replace your natural teeth. They are small titanium screws that your dentist carefully places in precise locations in your jaw bone. There they integrate with the bone, providing firm support for new teeth in the form of dentures, crowns or bridges, and also stimulating bone growth and the development of tiny blood vessels around the titanium.
This helps to stop the common side-effect of bone loss that often happens when teeth are lost, and which can cause a sagging appearance around the jowls.
Once your implants are in place a healing period is required, typically about three months. After this your dentist will check that the implants have integrated sufficiently with your jaw bone and will then attach your new teeth.
The implants and attached restorations look and act much like natural teeth. You will find your confidence in your smile restored and will be able to enjoy a full, healthy, balanced diet once more, which is better for your general health. With proper care and regular visits to the dentist, your implants could last you for the rest of your life.