One of the major advantages of choosing dental implants to replace missing teeth is that they include a root portion that helps recreate the original structure of your tooth. The presence of a root in a dental implant makes them an excellent choice for tooth replacement for several reasons.
How a Dental Implant is Structured
Dental implants are made up of two portions—an artificial root and a prosthetic tooth. The root portion, though not visible, is very important to the implant and is a major reason why implants are superior to dentures in most cases.
The root portion of an implant performs two important functions. First, it holds your new tooth stationary so your teeth will never shift, abrade, or fall out. Second, it is imbedded directly in the jawbone, so it stimulates the bone to continue to grow just like a natural root would. With dentures, often the jawbone atrophies. As the bone tissue degenerates due to lack of stimulation, the shape of your jaw changes. This means that, if you wear a full denture, you have to have your dentures refitted from time to time. It also means that, over time, the shape of your face can change. If you only have a few missing teeth, this loss of bone tissue might not be a problem over time, but if you have a full set of dentures, the changes can be quite noticeable.
Choosing Dental Implants
If you are missing teeth, you’ll have to decide what the best option is for replacement. Your dentist can help you determine the best choice for you. You might not be a good candidate for implants if:
- You are a smoker
- You have diabetes
- You have an immune system disorder
- You are taking certain medications
- You are in poor overall health
All these factors can impact your ability to heal after an implant procedure, and can lead to failure of your new implants. If, however, you are in good overall health, implants are probably a good choice for you for tooth replacement.
For more information on dental implants, contact our skilled implant team at Family Smiles Dental Group today.