The Benefits of Dental Implants

Approximately 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth, and upwards of 40 million Americans are missing all of their teeth. If you fall into either of these categories, a dental implant may be the solution for you, accomplishing more than just filling that empty space. A dental implant can also help improve your dental health and overall well-being.

If this is the remedy you’re looking for, or if you have questions about the process, the team at Dental Care Associates of Buffalo have the skill and knowledge to help you understand how a dental implant can help improve not only your smile, but your overall dental health.

Preserving Jawbone Health

Missing teeth can affect the jawbone, contributing to bone loss, shifting teeth, and subsequent oral issues like additional tooth loss. But because dental implants are placed into the jawbone to serve as an anchor, or artificial root, for a crown, they can help strengthen the jawbone and prevent bone loss. Through a process called osseointegration, the implant will fuse with the bone, creating a strong bond and stimulating bone growth.

Maintaining a Natural Bite and Alignment

When there is extra space in the mouth due to tooth loss, other teeth can shift, which can negatively affect your natural bite and alignment and cause speech and chewing issues. Dental implants work to fill the place of a missing tooth, helping to preserve your natural bite and ensure you are able to speak, eat, and smile with confidence.

A Long-Lasting Solution with Minimal Maintenance

Unlike traditional dentures, dental implants are a long-lasting, permanent solution to help preserve your smile and correct tooth loss. Traditional dentures require special adhesives to adhere to the gums, which can make eating crunchy, hard, or sticky foods difficult. But dental implants are secured in the jawbone, ensuring you can maintain your normal ways of eating and speaking with ease.

Since they’re meant to last a lifetime, dental implants are easy to maintain with normal brushing and flossing, and have a similar look and feel to your regular teeth. As long as you practice a proper dental hygiene routine, dental implants can last for decades.

Supporting Overall Health and Confidence

Restoring a missing tooth can improve your overall health and even happiness. Psychologically, fixing a dental issue can make a person feel more confident in their smile, leading them to share its natural radiance with others and brighten their mood.

Dental implants can also aid in nutrition and digestion. As we mentioned earlier, missing teeth or poor dental health can lead to significant dental issues that make consuming healthy foods, like crunchy fruits and vegetables, difficult. These nutritious, fibrous foods act like a natural toothbrush, helping to sweep away bad bacteria from the mouth. So keeping them out of your diet in an attempt to avoid discomfort can lead to less than favorable health outcomes.

Are dental implants right for me?

How do you know if dental implants are the right choice for you? The first step is scheduling and attending a consultation with your dentist, who will assess your unique situation and recommend the optimal solution for the results you want. 

What are the benefits of dental implants?

Dental implants have several unique advantages over other tooth replacement options because they are aesthetically pleasing and help improve your overall oral health. One of the biggest benefits of dental implants is the way they stimulate the jawbone when you chew. This promotes healthy bone density and avoids that “sunken-in” look that often occurs with multiple missing teeth. 

Additionally, dental implants don’t require alterations to adjacent teeth, unlike dental bridges, which must anchor to the surrounding teeth to be effective. And since implants and their final prostheses don’t involve the natural tooth at all, there is no need to worry about getting a cavity beneath an implant crown. When taken care of properly, a dental implant can last just as long as a normal tooth.

Choose Dental Care Associates of Buffalo!

If you are considering dental implants, schedule a consultation with Dental Care Associates of Buffalo. Our team can go over the entire process and explain the pros and cons. We can also recommend other tooth replacement options if a dental implant isn’t the right fit for you. If you are interested in fixing your smile and bite, give us a call today to schedule your consultation.