Missing teeth are caused from many reasons, including accidents and too much dental work on a single tooth. There have been different methods for replacing a tooth in the past, but dental implants are by far the most natural feeling option. The number of people getting dental implants in Tuscaloosa and Northport is increasing, here’s why.
It’s the Most Natural Solution
Keeping your natural teeth is always the best option. They have nerves inside that allow you to feel temperature changes, don’t cover up your taste buds, and can trap bacteria against your gums. Some of the more common solutions over the last century have included:
- A resin composite crown or bridge
- Partial or full dentures
- Leaving it empty
These options require special cleaning processes for keeping your mouth clean. Dental implants are secured into your mouth with a post. Titanium is used because it naturally heals in the mouth just like a natural tooth root, fusing to the bone. This ensures a longer lifetime than other options and the ability to keep a strong bite. The top of the tooth is then attached to the post with a feel and look like it is totally natural. Implants are treated just like natural teeth too, only requiring regular brushing and flossing.
If you wear full dentures, wearing a more permanent, implant version is a much more convenient way to go through life. With no special creams, gels, or strips, you can feel confident going through your day. They are less painful and don’t interfere with eating or talking either. Implants allow you to go through life as if you did have your own set of teeth back in your mouth and as good as new.
They Protects Your Facial Features and Other Dental Work
Having a gap in your gums from a missing tooth interferes with past dental work. The teeth naturally shift to fill in the gaps. This will make your teeth crooked and unevenly spaced. Even a prolonged amount of time with a gap will require extra time and effort to bring your teeth back to an aesthetically pleasing position. The process to put them in is simple, but does require time. The sooner you start the process of getting dental implants placed, the better.
If multiple teeth are missing, the face shape will start to change. The face collapses, bringing the chin closer to the mouth and pushing your lips outward. This leads to more wrinkles and looking a lot older. Aesthetics aren’t the only issue though. Eating becomes harder with missing teeth. The jaw bone requires a certain amount of pressure to keep it strong, and areas without teeth will suffer, causing bone loss. As the jaw shrinks, nerves are exposed and pain increases.
Our Little Secret
Dental implants, in all their forms, help to protect the integrity of your mouth in the most natural way possible. If you have a missing tooth or several missing teeth, dental implants are the best, most natural option. The biggest benefit is that outside of this office, no one will know you don’t have all your natural teeth.