Over 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth. Without replacing missing teeth, bone loss can occur in the jaw and cause severe problems such as shifting teeth, an improper bite, and even affect your systemic health. Dental implants are the best solution to oral hygiene and to keep your smile and health intact.
What exactly are dental implants anyway?
A dental implant is a tiny but solid titanium alloy screw used as replacement teeth roots for damaged or missing natural teeth. It is drilled and placed into the jawbone with a screw that firmly connects the artificial tooth or other dental prostheses to the jaw. Click here to learn more.
In addition to replacing broken or missing teeth, implants can also provide support for removable dentures. Read further to understand better why replacing lost or badly damaged teeth are essential.
Appearance
As superficial as it may sound to someone who has all their teeth, a single missing tooth can put a lot of emotional stress on an individual. We are all concerned about our appearance in one way or the other. Imagine not having the confidence to smile because of a missing tooth or two. It may affect your work and personal life and lead to depression.
Studies show that dental implants often boost a patient’s morale and overall confidence. With dental implants, there are no visible differences between a replaced tooth and a natural tooth. Often close family and friends don’t even notice.
Oral Health
When a tooth is lost, the balance of teeth and jaw structure is disturbed. The missing tooth gap allows the remaining teeth to tilt and shift.
Down the line, this will lead to further oral problems, especially if the patient’s chewing abilities become more complicated. It isn’t uncommon to see multiple tooth losses over the years due to losing the first tooth. Without that tooth, bone loss occurs and affects the other surrounding teeth. Read more here.
Overall Comfort
Those with teeth intact probably don’t know how it feels when a tough piece of food gets stuck in the exposed root of the missing molar. It isn’t a very comfortable experience and happens at every meal.
People with missing teeth often give up on previously loved food to alleviate the continuous pain and discomfort. In some aspects, losing the ability to properly chew food can potentially stop you from enjoying a huge part of your life.
Dental implants are the solution to keep your smile and oral health intact and can dramatically change the life of someone who is missing teeth. The best part is that dental implants have a success rate of over 95%. Dental implants can last a lifetime if properly cared for.
If you are in Puyallup, Washington, or surrounding areas, please do not hesitate to contact Dove Family Dentistry. Dr. Vantramp and Dr. Zingerman have extensive training and experience in dental implants. Please contact us to schedule an appointment. We would love to answer all your questions about treatment plans to help you achieve that big beautiful smile.
