How Do Dental Implants Benefit Your Oral Health?

How Do Dental Implants Benefit Your Oral Health?

12-04-2024

Dental implants are widely regarded as the best solution for replacing missing teeth. When you lose a tooth, your immediate worry may be about how your smile looks or how it will affect your ability to enjoy food. 

But alongside the aesthetic and practical worries about losing teeth, there are other dental problems that could affect you later on. 

Dental implants may bring back your smile, restore your confidence, and let you enjoy your favourite meals again— but what can they do for your oral health?

In this article, we’ll look at the health benefits of dental implants, which are often overlooked but could improve your quality of life in the long term. 

Dental Implants Stop Tooth Movement

Throughout your life, your teeth are expected to drift slightly. However, losing a tooth through trauma, illness, or decay leaves a gap in your smile. Your remaining teeth will gradually start to move to fill this gap.

As your other teeth move, they create smaller gaps along your entire arch. Some teeth may start to turn. 

This whole process could take years or a few months. The best way to prevent your teeth from moving is to replace the missing tooth. Dental implants are the perfect solution. 

Dental implants consist of a titanium screw which is anchored into your jaw. This supports a natural-looking replacement crown. Once in position, your dental implant will act as a barrier, holding back the teeth on either side. 

Dental Implants Improve Jaw Health

After you lose a tooth, the bone that once supported it will start to break down. The minerals in your jawbone are taken away in your blood through a natural process called resorption. This can affect the structure of your face. Your lips may sag, and you may develop wrinkles around your mouth. Losing jawbone mass can give you a prematurely aged appearance. 

Dental implants are the only way to restore teeth while preventing bone loss. Once in place, the implant will stimulate the jaw and stop deterioration. 

Before we can place dental implants, we’ll need to ensure you have adequate bone mass to support the titanium screw. If you don’t, we may recommend a bone graft procedure to help rebuild your jaw. 

Dental Implants Reduce the Risk of Gum Disease

When you have a missing tooth, it leaves an area of your gum exposed. Although you may notice food debris building up in this area and clear it, the space left by the missing tooth could become a hotspot for bacteria. 

The presence of bacteria in your gums can lead to gum disease over time. Initially, this leaves you with slightly inflamed, red, or bleeding gums. Over time, symptoms will worsen. You may soon develop bad breath, pockets around your teeth, and jaw deterioration. 

Dental implants complete your smile and make it easier to maintain good standards of oral health. Although gum disease is a risk factor for everyone, living with missing teeth can make you more prone to the problem. 

Dental Implants Reduce the Risk of Tooth Decay

Just as losing teeth puts you at an increased risk of gum disease, it can also raise the chances of developing cavities in teeth adjacent to the gap. Completing your smile with a dental implant makes it easier to keep your remaining teeth clean and healthy. 

Dental Implants in Dartford

Dental implants are truly life-changing. Along with improving your smile and giving you the full confidence to eat, speak, and enjoy life, they also prevent several problems that could harm your health. 

Get in touch today to book your dental implant consultation.