9 Life-Changing Reasons for Getting Dental Implants
Monday, September 20th, 2010 | Filed under Health
As we grow older, we tend to lose facial structure and our faces shorten, resulting in the distinct lines commonly seen in the faces of elderly people.
This facial shortening is often the result of bone loss, which happens faster when someone loses their teeth, because one of the primary functions of the jawbone is to support the teeth, and when they fall out, the jawbone begins to slowly deteriorate.
In view of this, here are 9 life-changing reasons for getting dental implants if you are losing your natural teeth:
1. Dental implants preserve your jawbone’s integrity.
Human bones require stimulation to maintain their size and density; if you don’t use them, you lose them.
You must understand that each tooth has a specific job, and the loss of even just one, can seriously impair your bite and chewing capacity. So, when a tooth is lost or removed, the underlying bone is no longer stimulated by the pressure from chewing, which is crucial for keeping your mouth healthy and the bone strong. A dental implant provides this stimulation, and helps to maintain the bone’s integrity, because it works like a real tooth. The sooner you get a dental implant after losing a tooth, the more likely the bone will remain intact.
2. Dental implants help you look younger.
When we are young, everything is in place, and that’s why we look so good. Our teeth and jawbone support our facial features, keeping them in place; thus, when we lose a tooth, our face begins to transform, because things are shifting under our skin. Dental implants assist in slowing down this degenerative process, and can even restore the missing structures. When you are able to smile and laugh without reservations, and eat anything you like, your morale, well-being, and self-image improve dramatically.
3. Dental implants help you speak better.
Many older people use removable partials and/or full dentures that are bulky, difficult to wear, frequently come loose, and very often cause embarrassment as well as some difficulty when speaking.
To the contrary, dental implants are like real teeth, freeing one of all these inconveniences.
4. Dental implants help maintain the tone and size of facial muscles.
As soon as you stop exercising a muscle, it gets smaller, and there are numerous muscles underneath the skin of your face.
5. Dental implants last much longer.
Around 90% of normal dental implants are 100% successful, typically lasting twenty years or more. Due to ordinary wear and dental decay, traditional dental bridges last between five and ten years, and eventually must be replaced; however, dental implants are free of decay because they are made out of titanium.
6. Dental implants help prevent teeth from shifting places and distorting your bite.
In the dental arch, there is a place and function for every tooth, and when one is removed, the others start moving because of the lack of pressure from the missing tooth.
This can cause bite problems as well as the loosening of teeth, which then can lead to abnormal stresses and periodontal disease. Finally, the result is more tooth loss.
Dental implants can act as bookends, securing spaces where teeth are missing.
7. Dental implants improve your smile.
A smile is worth a thousand words… but when your teeth are not healthy, it can really affect your self-image. Dental implants can replace any missing tooth, helping preserve the bone that is needed to support full and beautiful lips. In fact, one of the most important uses of implants is to prevent bone loss in the front of your mouth.
8. Dental implants help a person understand what is happening in their mouth.
Teeth help you feel things in your mouth; you are aware when you bite on a tooth, but when it is removed, it is like cutting a limb off. You are unable to properly feel what you are chewing.
While dental implants are not teeth, they do function as such, by putting pressure on the jawbone in a way similar to natural teeth; thus, offering the natural sensations expected when chewing.
9. Dental implants work better than dentures.
Dental implants last longer than typical removable dentures, are much more comfortable, and provide a dramatically better quality of life for the person receiving them.