When people think about missing teeth, they usually focus on the cosmetic issues, like how it will affect their smile. However, losing a tooth jeopardizes your oral health and compromises the strength and stability of your jaw because there’s more to a tooth than meets the eye.
Our team recommends dental implants for more than cosmetic reasons at The Dental Touch in Oakland, California. Unlike other options for missing teeth, a dental implant replaces your entire tooth, including the hidden portion underneath your gum line. This surgical steel implant that no one ever sees simulates a tooth root.
So, if you can't have your natural tooth, an implant is the next best thing. Here’s why.
First off, losing even a single tooth puts your entire mouth in danger. That’s because your teeth work together to provide each other with structure and stability. So, if one tooth disappears, others shift into the empty space because nothing holds them in place any more.
On top of that, a tooth also works to nourish your jawbone. When you lose the visible portion of your tooth, you also lose the invisible portion beneath your gum — or the root. Without the root to stimulate your jaw, the bone starts to deteriorate, and your jawbone starts to shrink.
Shifting teeth and bone loss cause several problems that affect more than your appearance, including:
Implants eliminate all of these problems by restoring structure and stability to your mouth. They’re also the only dental restoration that preserves the jawbone and helps stimulate bone growth.
Getting dental implants can be a more involved process than temporary options, like crowns or bridges. However, this approach also means you get results that last.
Plus, since we anchor a dental implant in place, it fuses with your jawbone over time. This secure fit leaves you with an artificial tooth that feels and functions just like a natural tooth. The result? You can chew and talk with confidence because your new tooth isn’t going anywhere. And it’s stimulating bone growth at the same time.
Our team uses All-on-6™ and All-on-4™ dental implant techniques, which enable us to place temporary teeth in a single visit and permanent teeth as soon as your implants fuse in place — usually within 3-6 months.
Once they're in place, you can expect your implants to last a lifetime with proper care, which leads us to another reason our team loves implants. Simply care for them as you would your natural teeth, with twice-daily brushing, once-daily flossing, and regular professional cleanings.
Curious to learn more about dental implants? Contact our office at 510-324-9096 or by booking an appointment online today.
