26 Jul Dental Implants: Enjoy the health benefits of a complete smile
When a smile is incomplete due to missing teeth, it isn’t just the aesthetic appearance of the smile that is compromised. Missing teeth can have a detrimental effect on the health of other teeth, and can potentially lead to further tooth loss. An implant dentist can help to prevent further tooth loss following the loss of a natural tooth through the use of dental implants to provide a healthy, permanent solution.
When a tooth is lost, it is natural for the remaining teeth to deviate their own position towards the space left behind. When this happens, the patient’s bite pattern is changed and the strength of the bite could be compromised. This in turn can lead to additional strain being put on the jaw joints and muscles, which could lead to painful jaws and headaches. [pullquote]An implant dentist can help to prevent further tooth loss following the loss of a natural tooth through the use of dental implants to provide a healthy, permanent solution.[/pullquote]
The tooth’s roots provide stimulus to the jawbone and gum tissue, helping to promote healthy tissue growth. A lost tooth robs the tissue of stimulus and so the tissue growth begins to slow down and can stop altogether. After a time, the tissue will begin to shrink and weaken, affecting the support it provides to other teeth as the recession of growth begins to spread. This can lead to further tooth loss, and so further damage an already compromised smile.
Through dental implants, however, an implant dentist can restore the function of a healthy tooth using a prosthetic device. By placing a titanium rod into the patient’s gum, which in turn affixes itself to the jawbone in a process called osseointegration, the natural function of a tooth’s root in providing stimulus to the gum and jawbone tissues is restored. The titanium also provides support to a dental crown that is shaped and shaded to match existing teeth, and provides a natural finish, thus helping to restore the appearance of the smile.
The implant also helps to maintain the position of remaining teeth, preventing unnecessary tooth shift and so preserving the patient’s bite pattern and supporting the patient’s bite strength. Issues with speech that might be affected by lost teeth can also be remedied through the use of implants.
Dental implants not only help to restore the function and appearance associated with a complete smile, but can also safeguard good dental health in the years to come. To find out if you are a candidate for dental implants, contact the office of Drs. Bonner and Huriega. Call 210-616-0858 to schedule your visit today.