Have you lost one or more teeth? If so, it’s time to schedule an appointment with one of our dental implant dentists in Ann Arbor, MI. They’ll be able to determine if you’re a so you can smile with confidence after tooth loss. A dental implant will also help prevent further tooth loss so you can maintain good oral health.
How Dental Implants Prevent Future Tooth Loss
Here’s what else you need to know about the dental implant procedure.
How Your Teeth Receive Support
Your teeth are supported by their roots, the gums, jawbone tissue, and adjacent teeth. If you lose any of these supportive factors, your teeth may become loose over time. Left to their own devices, loose teeth can fall out or even need extraction. For this reason, it’s important that you schedule an appointment with one of our dental implant dentists as soon as you lose a tooth, experience bone loss in the jaw, or notice receding gums.
Stop Bone Loss in the Jaw
The human body is incredibly resourceful. That’s why as soon as you lose a tooth, your body will start to absorb the minerals in your jaw to use somewhere else. If left untreated, bone loss in the jaw will reduce support to the adjacent teeth in your smile. It can also alter the shape of your face if it progresses into a condition called facial collapse.
As the name suggests, facial collapse will make the patient’s facial profile appear sunken. It’ll also cause the chin to drift forward and become prominent. Advanced bone loss in the jaw can make it difficult or uncomfortable to wear dentures. The good news is that you can prevent further bone loss through dental implants.
Related:Why Dental Implants Are Better Than Dentures →
A is a prosthetic tooth root that’s made out of a titanium alloy. During the dental implant surgery, your doctor will place the titanium rod in your jawbone. This rod will later support the abutment and crown that will go on top. Together, the implant, abutment, and crown give you the full function and appearance of a natural tooth.
The implant acts like a replacement tooth root, tricking the body into believing that your tooth is still there. This stops jawbone deterioration in its tracks so you can keep as much bone density as possible.
Support Adjacent Teeth
If you’ve experienced tooth loss, you may notice the adjacent teeth start to drift toward the empty socket. That’s why we recommend that patients consider replacing missing teeth with dental implants. A dental implant holds space in your jaw like a natural tooth would, exerting pressure on your jawbone and supporting adjacent teeth.
Dentures can stop teeth from drifting toward the empty space, but they don’t stop bone loss in the jaw. This is because dentures are an appliance that sits on top of the gums, as opposed to being anchored in the jawbone.
Inspire You to Take Better Care of Your Smile
It’s not uncommon for dental implant patients to feel more motivated to take better care of their smiles. After all, dental implants are an investment in your oral health. Once you’ve made the commitment, it only makes sense that you would be inspired to practice good oral hygiene and continue seeing our dental implant dentists in Ann Arbor, MI, for preventive care. By taking care of your smile, you’ll also significantly decrease your risk of experiencing future tooth loss.
Discover if You’re a Candidate for Dental Implants
Our dental implant dentists in Ann Arbor, MI, are accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment and learn if you’re a candidate for dental implants, please call Enhance Family Dentistry & Orthodontics at (734) 821-7676. You may also fill out our online contact form and someone from our team will reach out to you soon.
This blog post has been updated.
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