When replacing a badly damaged, missing, or decayed tooth, you will have two main options available to you. These options are the use of dentures or the use of a dental implant and crown. While both options have their pros and cons, the option of dental implants proves to be more beneficial for many people. Continue reading to learn more about some of the benefits that dental implants can offer you.
Avoid Excess Bone Loss
When your natural tooth is extracted, the space in your jawbone where the tooth root used to be will begin to close. This causes the jawbone to shrink and can ultimately result in a loss of bone density when extracting multiple teeth. The use of dental implants helps to prevent this type of excess bone loss by preventing the jawbone from shrinking in the first place. The way this is accomplished is by replacing your natural tooth with an implant in the bone. Since this space will not be left empty, the space will not need to close completely to heal from the extraction. This can help to prevent related issues such as changes to the facial structure as the jawbone begins to shrink.
Maintain A Natural Bite Strength
One issue that denture users commonly experience is a significantly reduced bite strength Since dentures do not provide the same strong bite as natural teeth, many people may find it difficult to bite or chew some foods. This can ultimately have an impact on a person's quality of life. People who choose dental implants and crowns over dentures do not typically experience this same problem. This is because dental implants get their strength from being anchored in the jawbone just like a natural tooth would. This allows implants to provide the same natural bite strength that you are used to.
No Need To Cover The Roof Of Your Mouth
If you need to replace any of your upper teeth, the use of dentures will most likely mean the need to cover the roof of your mouth to secure the dentures in place. For many people, this can result in a significant change in the way food tastes since a large number of taste buds are located in this area of the mouth. Covering the roof of your mouth may also make it more difficult to adjust to the use of dentures when completing basic tasks such as eating and talking. With dental implants, there is no need to cover the roof of your mouth since your implants will be anchored in the jaw and therefore will not require additional support from your gums or the surrounding tissue.
For more information on dental implants, contact a professional near you.
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.