Preserve Your Smile With an Implant
August 18, 2017
Losing a tooth as a child comes with a dollar under your pillow from the Tooth Fairy. Losing a tooth as an adult is usually a less positive experience. Our permanent, adult teeth are meant to last us a lifetime, but that is not always the case. With the exception of the wisdom teeth, when we lose a tooth, whether to severe decay, infection, accident, or injury, it is important for the tooth to be replaced. An extracted or lost tooth can leave a void in our smile. Even when a tooth is missing in the back of the mouth and cannot be seen, it still creates a void. That void can cause problems with our biting, chewing, or even speaking. A prosthetic restoration can restore those functions, but a dental implant can prevent possible bone loss.
Missing Teeth Can Cause Bone Loss
Each tooth and its roots stimulate the jawbone. Without that stimulation, the body is signaled that the jawbone no longer needs strength-giving minerals. The body stops sending minerals and actually starts to send the bone’s minerals elsewhere in the body in a process called bone resorption. Bone resorption can cause the jaw to soften over time. As it softens, it will begin to change shape and weaken. A weak jawbone does not make for a good foundation for teeth or prosthetic teeth. Your smile becomes at risk of losing more teeth when the jawbone weakens.
Dental Implants Stimulate Your Jawbone
A dental implant replaces the roots of your missing tooth with a biocompatible titanium post. The soft tissues will fuse to the implant, and your body will think that your bone still requires important minerals staving off bone resorption. The dental implant will provide a solid foundation for a restoration like a crown, bridge, or a full or partial set of dentures.
A Missing Tooth That Needs to Be Replaced With an Implant.
A dental implant could be the key to preserving your smile after losing a tooth. To find out if you qualify for dental implants or same-day implants, schedule a consultation by calling Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry of Kansas City, MO, today at 816-427-4018.