While we all want healthy teeth that last a lifetime, sometimes situations arise that cause the loss of our teeth. Filling empty spaces with a dental implant helps you feel better about your smile and positively impacts the health of your remaining teeth. Lovett Dental Gulfgate provides dental implants in Houston to patients looking to improve their smile. Our patients find that there are many benefits of implants.
4 Benefits of Dental Implants
1. Implants Look and Feel Natural
Dental implants are as close as you can come to regaining the same functionality as natural teeth. You can bite, chew, and talk without worrying about them moving or shifting. Patients typically can’t differentiate between the implants or their natural teeth. There’s no need to remove them from your mouth for cleaning. You brush and floss implants normally, the same as you would your normal teeth.
Missing teeth and resulting bone loss may cause sagging in your facial features and make you appear older. Getting implants can give you a more attractive jawline. Dental implants don’t require the removal of adjacent teeth, which is what typically happens with bridgework.
2. Implants Stop Bone Loss in Your Jaw
Missing teeth leave a space in your jawbone. With nothing there to promote stimulation, the bone eventually deteriorates. Each year you go with a space in your jaw, you can lose up to 25% of the remaining bone in that area.
Dentures don’t provide the proper stimulation. If they’re loose or ill-fitting, they might rub against the bony ridge, causing it to wear away. Since implants act as a replacement for your root and your tooth, they restore your normal chewing function, providing the stimulation needed to promote bone growth.
3. Implants Protect Healthy Teeth
When you have a gap left behind by a missing tooth, the remaining tooth can start shifting over to fill the space. Your teeth get pulled out of position, causing changes to your bite. That can lead to issues with chewing and speaking.
If your teeth shift over far enough, it can lead to issues that make it challenging to replace your missing teeth in the future. A poorly aligned bite can lead to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), causing you to experience pain in your jaw and related headaches.
4. Implants Are Long-Lasting
Dental implants consist of titanium material implanted into the jawbone. Because it’s made from a compatible material, the post integrates naturally with your jaw. Your body won’t reject the implant as toxic material. With proper care, dental implants can last a lifetime. Dental bridges only last around ten years, meaning a dentist must redo the work.
Implants vs. Dentures vs. Bridges
The following considerations may help you decide between opting for dental implant services vs. dentures or bridgework.
- Dentures must be held in place with an adhesive that you may have to replace after eating a meal, something you don’t have to worry about with implants.
- Chewing may be more difficult with dentures. You may have to avoid eating certain foods because you don’t have full chewing power.
- Bridges often require you to make changes to healthy teeth, which isn’t an ideal situation.
- Dentures don’t protect you against eventual bone loss because of your missing teeth.
- While bridges may be less expensive than dental implants, they don’t last as long.
- Dentures may come out while you’re talking if they’re not fitted properly.
Enjoy the Benefits of Dental Implants with Lovett Dental Gulfgate
If you’re ready to change your smile for the better, contact Lovett Dental Gulfgate at 713-847-8822 to set up a consultation for dental implant services. Our team of dental experts wants you to enjoy the benefits of a worry-free smile. Reach out to us today.
