If you are missing teeth, you have a few options available to you to correct the problem. However, you should know that dental implants have many advantages – they are good not just for your oral health but for the health of your jaw as well. Read on for more information on dental implants and how they can benefit your jawbone!
What are dental implants?
Unlike dentures, for instance, dental implants are a way to replace the complete tooth, even the root. A post made of titanium alloy is placed into the jawbone and, over time, the two fuse together. An abutment is placed on the post and then a crown (your new tooth) is placed on top of that.
Dental implants have many benefits – they look and feel just like real teeth, and you can brush and floss them just as you would your natural teeth. They also help to keep the jaw healthy. When you bite and chew with your teeth, this force is transmitted to the jaw bone. This activity tells the bone that bone mass is needed to withstand this force. If you are missing a tooth, the jawbone underneath the empty socket isn’t stimulated to create new bone mass, and that area of the jawbone breaks down. This can lead to deterioration of the jawbone, which means an unhealthy jawbone, which can lead to problems including more missing teeth.
Yet another benefit of dental implants is that they can also transmit force down to the jawbone to stimulate the bone mass and to keep the bone healthy. Dentures and other options may work well as replacement teeth, but they don’t work to stimulate the jaw bone, and over time bone loss can occur.
Patients who have had dental implants love them because they look great, feel natural, and are easy to take care of. And yet another advantage of getting dental implants is that they help to keep your jaw healthy! If you are missing a tooth, contact Soft Touch Dentistry today to discuss your options. Contact the Brighton office at (617) 782-9250 or the Newton office at (617) 332-8146 for an appointment today.
