Why Are Dental Implants Important?
When you are missing a tooth or multiple teeth, it can affect you in more way than one. Not only can your looks be affected, but your diminished ability to chew food and changes in your bite may affect your overall health. Without a doubt, missing teeth negatively affects your quality of life. Dental implants look, feel and function just like natural teeth and are widely recognized as the best replacement method that we have to offer in modern dental care.
What Is A Dental Implant?
Dental implants are made of titanium. A completed implant includes three pieces: the implant itself (a titanium screw that is placed in the jawbone), the abutment (a connector between the implant and crown) and the crown (the part that is visible and looks like a tooth). Dr. Schaberg and Dr. Campbell specialize in the placement of the implant itself and your restorative dentist places the abutment and crown. Together we work as a team to ensure the best cosmetic and functional outcome.
Time Is Of The Essence
You may be surprised to hear that your jawbone is a lot like a muscle, in that it must be stimulated regularly in order to prevent atrophy. Therefore, when a tooth is lost, the jawbone begins to diminish almost immediately. In fact, studies show that within a year of tooth loss, there is up to a 50% decrease in bone width and some loss of bone height. This can cause both functional and esthetic problems that if not addressed quickly can become more severe and more challenging to correct. Thankfully, dental implants can take the place of natural teeth to provide the stimulus needed by the jaw to maintain your supporting bone. If done early, this greatly reduces the need for major bone grafting down the road.
What Happens When A tooth Is Lost:
Consequences of Bone Loss:
Are You Considering A Bridge Or A Dental Implant?
While a bridge and an implant are both good options for tooth replacement, an implant provides several advantages over a bridge, but the main advantage is:
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- Bridges commit the surrounding teeth to more dentistry. We often say “a bridge turns a one tooth problem into a three tooth problem”. This is due to the fact that bridges, on average, have a 10 year lifespan. If there is ever a problem with one of the teeth supporting a bridge, it may further complicate your situation.
