If you’ve had a tooth loss or extraction, replacing the missing tooth can restore your smile and your bite. The most advanced tooth replacement option available is a dental implant. This is a small metal post inserted into your jawbone which supports a crown that looks and feels exactly like your natural tooth. Here are some of the major benefits a dental implant can have for your health and comfort.

Why Ask Your Dentist About Dental Implants?

1. Mouth Health

When you’re missing a tooth, the adjacent teeth can sometimes lean into the gap, causing misalignments throughout your bite. The bone around the empty tooth socket may start to recede, affecting the foundation of teeth on either side and increasing your risk of tooth loss. Any replacement tooth, including an implant, fills the gap between teeth and keeps others from shifting inwards. However, dental implants are the only option that prevent bone deterioration. This is because they not only replace the visible crown of the tooth but also the root. The post in your jaw stimulates the bone and encourages it to stay strong and dense, just like tooth roots would normally do.

2. Stability

The post of an implant is fused with the bone of your jaw. This holds it firmly in place while you smile, speak, and eat. It won’t feel unsteady and uncomfortable, and it won’t come out and expose the gap in your teeth. You even clean it the same way you do your natural teeth, instead of taking it out of your mouth like dentures. This means you can go back to your normal daily routine without worrying about losing your dental prosthetic during a meal or throughout the day.

3. Permanence

Most dental fixtures need to be replaced every few years, but the base of an implant is designed to stay there your entire lifetime. Barring a serious jaw injury or infection, the dental implant procedure is a one-time event. The same post can even support multiple adjacent false teeth, minimizing your need for additional dental work in the area in the future.

To talk to a dentist about getting dental implants, contact Preventive Dental Services PC in Homer, AK. Serving the Homer and Barrow area for almost 25 years, these caring dentists offer a full range of advanced treatment options, including 3D digital X-rays. Call (907) 235-1286 to make an appointment, or reach out online to learn more.