As people age, they almost inevitably begin to lose teeth. This problem is one that can get worse when a single tooth disappears and can require the use of high-quality replacements to avoid issue. However, some people may not tolerate dentures or need just a handful of teeth replaced. In this situation, dental implants are the best choice because they provide the most benefits for users.
Losing Teeth Can Affect Speech Patterns
Speech patterns and the quality of a person's speech is heavily affected not only by the health of their teeth but by their positioning in the mouth. As teeth start to fall out of a person's mouth, they may start to talk with an audible whistle or have a hard time forming some words. This problem is one that can quickly get out of control and cause troubles to a person with many types of dental issues.
As a result, it is important to take control of this situation as it begins to worsen. Losing a single tooth may not seem like a big deal, but it can cause issues with a person's speech that can be hard to tolerate. And a missing tooth can cause dental decay problems that spread throughout a person's mouth and make it hard for them to stay healthy, such as gum loss. Thankfully, dental implants can help here.
How Dental Implants Help
Dental implants are unique treatment options designed to replace a single tooth in a person's mouth. Unlike dentures, they are inserted directly into the jaw and support its overall health. And they don't cause any difficulties with speaking — which dentures may trigger if they shift position as a person talks — because they stay in place as if they were a normal and healthy tooth.
And their strong surface makes them good enough to last for many years, particularly if a person takes good control of their oral health with regular brushing and flossing. They may be able to keep the implant strong for several years, which should make it easier for them to stave off other types of tooth loss and keep their oral health strong and consistent for years to come.
Thankfully, a large number of dentists provide this type of implant option that gives a person the ability to avoid severe and long-lasting dental decay. And insurance is also available for those who need this type of implant, particularly if their dentist declares that it is medically necessary for their health.
Our oral surgery and general dental website offers important information on how to prevent dry socket following a tooth extraction. After getting your tooth pulled, a protective blood clot develops over the extraction site. Many of our blog posts explain how this protective clot helps promote healing after an extraction.
You'll learn that if the clot is accidentally dislodged, dry socket may occur, which can raise your risk for infection and heavy bleeding. We'll provide you with important tips on how to prevent this by avoiding smoking and drinking through a straw. You'll also learn that swishing water around your mouth should be avoided for a couple of days following your extraction because doing so creates a suction that may dislodge your clot, leading to dry socket.