For most patients who’ve lost one or more teeth, Dr. Van Wicklen often recommends replacing lost teeth with an appropriate number of dental implants. The titanium root devices are surgically inserted into the jawbone to replace the roots of your missing teeth, and can be used to restore your smile whether you’ve lost one, several, or all of your teeth. In fact, many dentists recommend dental implants for their ability to stabilize replacement teeth, and the benefits they provide to your long-term oral health. What are these benefits, you may ask? As prosthetic teeth roots, dental implants provide plenty of them.
The Dental Implant Advantage
- Stability—Your teeth take a lot of abuse over the years. Every day, they’re responsible for tearing, grinding, and pulverizing your food, which requires an incredible amount of pressure. If your replacement teeth aren’t suitably supported, they can have trouble sustaining the pressures of biting and chewing. Dental implants provide your prosthetic teeth with the stability that roots provide your natural, healthy teeth, improving their ability to function.
- Comfort—Conventional replacement teeth rely on a variety of methods to stay in place. For instance, dentures use adhesives to remain attached to your gums, while dental bridges utilize dental crowns attached to the remaining teeth adjacent to the gap in your smile. As prosthetic roots, dental implants can support your new teeth more comfortably, without adhesives or the need to modify healthy teeth to accommodate supportive dental crowns.
- Jawbone health—Supporting your teeth roots is one of your jawbone’s main functions. When the roots are stimulated by biting and chewing, your body responds to the stimulation by sending your jawbone the necessary nutrients to support your teeth. Consequently, losing teeth roots means losing a portion of your jawbone’s nutrient supply. Fortunately, replacing them with one or more dental implants helps restore the stimulation that’s lost along with your missing teeth’s roots.
- Longevity—As advanced as modern dental bridges and dentures are, they aren’t as durable as your natural teeth, and often need replacement after 10-15 years of repeated use. On the contrary, dental implants, which your jawbone fuses to as it heals, are permanently bonded in place, and can last a lifetime with proper care and maintenance (though the restoration may still need replacement after years of wear and tear).
About Your Austin Dentist:
Since 1985, Dr. Steven Van Wicklen has been providing expert restorative and cosmetic dentistry services to patients and families in Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Bastrop, Bee Cave, Cedar Park, and all surrounding communities. To schedule your cosmetic dental consultation, call our office today at (512) 448-3131.
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