When you lose a tooth, it can have a life-changing impact on your smile. However, these effects go far beyond your appearance and self-confidence alone. Missing teeth can also significantly increase your risk of oral health problems, ranging in severity from gum disease and tooth decay to jaw bone loss.
Fortunately, you can solve all of these problems by choosing custom dental implants. Here’s why Howard S. Jeon, DMD, recommends implants as the restoration of choice when it comes to missing teeth.
A dental implant functions like an artificial tooth root, except it’s made from biocompatible titanium. Dr. Jeon firmly anchors these permanent restorations into your jawbone, providing maximum stability like a real tooth root. The last step involves adding a porcelain crown, or artificial tooth, on top. This custom-made prosthetic fits your bite perfectly and blends in with your surrounding natural teeth.
And, since the implant fuses into your jawbone over time, this restoration is incredibly durable. You can even expect your implants to be as strong — if not stronger — than your natural teeth.
Unlike temporary options like bridges, implants securely bond to your jawbone. This approach means they essentially become part of your mouth, similar to how an artificial joint becomes part of your body when you have a hip or knee replacement. As a result, they replace your lost teeth in every sense, including functionality, so you can expect your dental implants to work as well (or even better) than your natural teeth.
Replacing your missing teeth with implants also helps preserve normal bite force. That means you can still eat your favorite foods without worrying about how they’ll impact your dental work. And, because they can’t inadvertently slip out of place like removable dentures, your speech remains crisp and clear every time you open your mouth.
Few people think about their oral health when they have missing teeth. But, your teeth do more than give you a sparkling smile; they also maintain your oral health in a variety of ways.
Having empty spaces in your mouth can allow your remaining teeth to shift. As your teeth move out of position, it creates misalignments and places uneven stress on your teeth, increasing your risk of decay and excessive wear. Empty spaces can also trigger progressive bone loss that eventually alters the appearance of your face and changes the shape of your jaw.
While there are other dental solutions for missing teeth, implants are the only restorative option that prevents all of these problems. On top of keeping your remaining teeth in place and maintaining proper bite alignment, dental implants also stimulate your underlying jawbone, which keeps it healthy and growing normally. Implants also help you avoid abnormal wear and tear at the same time.
Every dental restoration involves custom-made solutions, but implants take the art of restoration to a whole new level. That’s because they work to fill gaps and fit your bite to perfection, while also blending in with your remaining teeth flawlessly.
Rest assured, dental implants look so much like natural teeth, that no one will know you’ve got them. By carefully matching the shape and size of your missing tooth, and choosing the exact shade of white as your remaining teeth, dental implants can restore your smile as beautifully and naturally as possible.
Dental implants not only provide permanent solutions designed to look, feel, and function exactly like real teeth, but they’re also comfortable and convenient. Once they’re fully healed and fused to your jawbone, they won’t feel any different than your natural teeth.
And unlike removable dentures, dental implants don’t require extra care or special precautions. You simply keep them in good shape with brushing and flossing, just like you would normally keep your gums healthy and natural teeth cavity-free.
To find out how dental implants can transform your smile and your life, call our Glenview, Illinois office at 847-998-8100 or send a message to our team here on our website.
