The Long-Term Benefits Of Dental Implants
Losing teeth isn't a problem reserved for those people who don't take care of their oral health. You could lose them from tooth decay, periodontal disease, an accident, or even old age. And when that happens, it's advisable to replace your teeth as fast as possible because missing teeth can affect your functional abilities and cause severe health issues. For a long time, the treatment options for missing teeth were dentures, but today there's a better option in dental implants. Here are the long-term benefits of dental implants.
They Protect You from Bone Loss
After losing your tooth, a gap is left, and your body starts to reabsorb the jawbone. With time, your face may develop a caved-in appearance. Research shows that if an implant isn't placed within one year after losing a tooth, about 25% of the bone is lost, and this bone loss accelerates over the years.
A dental implant is supported by a titanium rod that allows the growth of the jawbone around it. If you had already lost some bone, the implant helps reverse some of the bone loss. In the process, your oral health improves.
Enables You to Eat Your Favorite Foods
If you have lost several teeth, eating some types of food can be a daunting task. For example, you may be afraid to eat corn because one of the pieces may get stuck in a gap, causing you great discomfort.
Dental implants are firmly fitted into your jawbone and are strong enough, allowing you to consume all your favorite foods. And there's no worry of the implants slipping off or breaking. In contrast, dentures aren't a good option because they can easily slip while you eat, causing embarrassment.
Maintains the Health of Your Remaining Natural Teeth
Replacing your tooth with a partial denture can affect the neighboring teeth. This is because dentures have clasps that are hooked on adjacent teeth, and as you eat or talk, some pressure is applied on the natural teeth. Also, these clasps can eat away the gum tissue left, causing you more dental health complications. The same case applies to dental bridges, as they require a dentist to grind down the adjacent teeth for support.
Dental implants aren't supported by the adjacent teeth, so your remaining natural teeth won't be affected in any way. In any case, they become stronger and healthier with the jawbone growth in the implant.
They're Durable
Dental implants can serve you a lifetime as long as you maintain the proper dental hygiene. However, the crown on the implant may need replacement after some time as it's susceptible to wear and tear. Depending on your maintenance levels, you may also need to replace the entire bridge every 5-15 years. If you choose dentures, you have to replace and adjust them every now and then to prevent continuous bone loss. Therefore, implants are more cost-effective over time.
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