People lose their adult teeth for a number of reasons. What’s important is what you do next to protect your oral health and preserve your smile. Our dental implant dentist in East Grand Rapids, MI, would be more than happy to help you explore your tooth replacement options. In particular, are popular amongst our patients because they’re able to last a lifetime and look like natural teeth.
We recommend booking a consultation with Dr. Elias to get started on your smile journey. In the meantime, here’s what you need to know about the many benefits of dental implant treatment.
Stop Bone Loss in the Jaw
When you lose a tooth, your body will start absorbing the minerals from your jawbone to use elsewhere. The good news is that a dental implant is a prosthetic tooth root that’s designed to halt bone loss in the jaw.
During the dental implant procedure, the doctor will place the implant in your jaw. Over the next few months, the implant will then forge a strong connection with the bone and create a stable foundation for the abutment and crown we place later.
Not only do dental implants replace missing teeth, but they stop bone loss in its tracks. That way, you can continue smiling with confidence for years to come.
Prevent Further Tooth Loss
If you’ve lost one tooth, your risk increases for losing more teeth. This is because your teeth help support the adjacent teeth, holding them in place. Once your teeth lose this support, they’re more likely to start drifting toward the empty socket. If left untreated, they’ll eventually loosen and fall out. To prevent this from happening, we often recommend that patients seek dental implant treatment.
Stable, Permanent Solution
Full and partial dentures remain popular tooth replacement options. The main issue with conventional dentures is that they rest on top of the gums. This means that they’re vulnerable to slipping if you make a sudden movement, such as cough or sneeze. Likewise, you may notice your dentures fitting differently if you lose bone density in your jaw over time. Jaw shrinking is a common consequence of tooth loss.
Dental implants are great because they’re literally rooted in the jawbone. This means that they won’t move at all as you go about your day. No more embarrassment about slipping dentures! Instead, you’ll be able to eat, smile, talk, and laugh with complete confidence.
Preserve Natural Tooth Structure
Did you know that compared to other options, dental implants are minimally invasive? This is because the doctor is able to place a dental implant without impacting the rest of your teeth. Since enamel doesn’t grow back, many of our patients appreciate being eligible for .
Dental bridges, on the other hand, often involve preparing the adjacent teeth to receive crowns. Depending on the condition of the patient’s mouth, this may mean removing healthy tooth structure to accommodate the dental bridge. For this reason, many patients prefer to move forward with the dental implant procedure instead.
Improved Self-Confidence
When you look good, you feel good. You can’t put a price on regaining your confidence, especially if you’ve fallen into the habit of hiding your smile. In fact, it’s not uncommon for people who’ve experienced tooth loss to cover their mouth when they laugh or smile with their lips closed. However, these behaviors tend to disappear once a person completes the dental implant process.
Dental implants replace missing teeth, stop bone loss in the jaw, and help you maintain your natural face shape. All of these factors boost confidence and help you feel great about your appearance.
Simple Care Instructions
Unlike dentures, dental implants require no special maintenance. Simply care for your dental implant crowns as you would your natural teeth. This means brushing your teeth twice a day with an electric toothbrush for two minutes at a time. You should also continue flossing your teeth once a day to remove any plaque or food particles that could be hiding between teeth.
Be sure to continue seeing Dr. Elias for preventive care. That way, he’ll be able to monitor your oral health over time and offer advice on how to maintain your best smile.
Book a Dental Implant Consultation
Dr. Richard Elias III is proud to serve as your trusted dental implant dentist in East Grand Rapids, MI. To book a dental implant consultation, please call (616) 458-2048. You may also fill out our online contact form and a member of our team will reach out to you soon.
This blog post has been updated.
