Our dentists may recommend dental implants after extracting your teeth. A dental implant is a prosthetic tooth root made of titanium that supports an abutment and crown. Many of our patients appreciate dental implants because they look and function like natural teeth. Here are 4 signs that you might benefit from receiving dental implants.
1. You Have Missing Teeth
If you have missing teeth, our dentists might recommend an implant to help you maintain good oral health. Otherwise, your lower jaw will start to deteriorate and eventually alter the shape of your face. The best time to get a tooth implant is immediately after extraction.
Your teeth are held in place by tooth roots and adjacent teeth. This means that when you lose a tooth, nearby teeth are likely to tilt toward the open space, loosen, and eventually fall out. Fortunately, dental implants support nearby teeth so you can continue smiling with confidence.
Dental implants can help you maintain good oral health after losing a tooth. In fact, a tooth implant can help you avoid the following consequences:
- Bone loss in jaw
- Facial collapse
- Further tooth loss
- Ill-fitting dentures
- Feeling self-conscious about your smile
2. You Qualify for a Dental Bridge
A bridge is comprised of an artificial tooth anchored by crowns on healthy adjacent teeth. In other words, a dental bridge “bridges” the gap left by a missing tooth. If you aren’t sure whether you qualify for a tooth implant, call our office to schedule a consultation with our dentists. We’d be more than happy to answer any questions you might have.
In order to place a dental bridge, our dentists would have to file down teeth on both sides of the gap. Once this tooth structure is removed, it can never be replaced. Our dentists prefer implants over bridges because they don’t affect adjacent teeth. This lets you keep as much natural tooth structure as possible.
A tooth implant is sturdier than a bridge because it’s anchored to your jaw. This added stability helps you smile, talk, and eat with confidence. Dental implants are also long-lasting. This means you’ll be able to enjoy a beautiful healthy smile for years to come.
3. You Wear Full or Partial Dentures
Dentures don’t prevent jawbone deterioration because they sit on top of your gums. A tooth implant, on the other hand, will exert pressure your lower jawbone needs to stay healthy. If you don’t get a tooth implant, you will eventually lose jawbone tissue and experience facial collapse. Once the jawbone deteriorates, it’ll become harder to refit dentures so you can chew without pain.
Unlike dentures, dental implants never slip. This means that you can eat, talk, and smile like you did before tooth loss. While denture teeth have to be submerged in water or denture cleanser when they aren’t in your mouth, implants can be cared for like natural teeth.
4. You Want to Improve Your Diet
Even well-fitting dentures will occasionally slip when you sneeze, cough, laugh, or smile. This makes it hard to continue eating your favorite foods after losing a tooth. Eating tough foods (like steak) can also create sore spots where your dentures meet your gums.
With dental implants, you’ll be able to eat whatever you want once you heal from the procedure. Dental implants are embedded in your jawbone, stabilizing the abutment and crown so they don’t move while you chew. Since dental implants don’t move, you’ll also feel more confident when you eat in public.
Request an Appointment
Our Wyoming, MI implant dentists at Ryan Frederickson DDS pride themselves on delivering quality service to you and your family. To set up an appointment or to ask a question, give our office a call at (616) 534-5602.