While dentures and dental bridges can be excellent ways to restore a smile after tooth loss, they do not address many of the underlying issues that come with missing teeth. Even after receiving one of these appliances, the jawbones will still atrophy due to the loss of the exercise that was provided by the missing teeth. These tooth-loss solutions must also be replaced periodically, and the cost of new appliances can add up over time.
Dental implants, on the other hand, restore the stimulation the jawbones need to stay healthy and strong and can last for thirty-five years or possibly a lifetime with excellent care. Here’s how dental implants can help you maintain a youthful and vigorous appearance.
How Tooth Loss Affects Your Face
Shortly after tooth loss, the section of the jawbone that supported the tooth begins to recede due to a lack of stimulation. As this bone structure shrinks away from the gumline, it can pull neighboring teeth out of alignment, making them harder to clean and more vulnerable to injury, infection, and loss. After the loss of many teeth, the jaws can begin to shrink away, giving the face a sunken appearance and causing the lips to wrinkle due to a lack of tension. Dentures and dental bridges do little or nothing to prevent this process.
How Dental Implants Can Preserve Your Face
Dental implants are considered the best form of tooth replacement available not only because they look, feel, and function just like real teeth, but because they restore this needed stimulation to the jawbones, preventing or even reversing the process of bone loss. This means that the patient, in addition to enjoying lifelike restorations that work just like real teeth, can maintain a robust and attractive profile.
Can I Receive Dental Implants If My Jawbones Have Receded?
To be a suitable candidate for dental implants, a patient must have good physical health, healthy gums, and strong jawbones. Your dentist will check for all of these things during your consultation, but there’s no reason to despair if you don’t meet all of the criteria then. Lifestyle improvements and gum disease treatments have allowed many patients to receive dental implants, and if your jawbones are too thin to host these appliances, you may be able to reinforce them with bone grafts so that you can receive dental implants later.
Dental implants are great for your appearance and your overall health. You can learn about how you may be able to become an excellent candidate for dental implants during a consultation with your dentist.
About the Author
Dr. Julie Cromer earned her dental doctorate at the West Virginia University School of Dentistry and stays up to date with the latest developments in her field by completing continuing education courses. She is proud to be a member of the American Dental Association and the Florida Dental Association. Her office in Vero Beach, FL, offers general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry as well as dental implant services. To book a consultation for dental implants, contact her office online or dial (772) 562-5051.