Our mouths are designed to lose teeth as children, but not as adults. This can make losing a tooth as an adult quite a challenging experience. There are options to replace your tooth. While prosthesis like a crown, bridge, or dentures replace the body of your tooth, a dental implant replaces the roots of your tooth. If the body of your tooth is replaced and your appearance is restored (not to mention your abilities to bite, speak, and chew), then why is it important to replace the roots of your tooth? We will answer that question, as well as other frequently asked questions about dental implants.
The bone of your jaw is stimulated by your teeth and their roots. Even just one missing tooth can lead to loss of that stimulation, which can lead to a loss of bone density through a process called bone resorption. Without stimulation in a bone, the body deems it to be unimportant. An unimportant bone will lose its minerals to more important areas of the body. This loss of minerals lead to a loss of bone density which leads to a weaker jaw bone. A dental implant stimulates your jaw bone keeping it strong and sturdy to support your remaining teeth.
Dental implants are posts made of titanium, which is biocompatible. Your jawbone fuses to the implant post as you heal. Dental implants are strategically placed in the jawbone to withstand a certain amount of bite pressure, and support replacement teeth.
In certain cases, dental implants can be placed immediately after tooth extraction. Same-day dental implants eliminate the time between losing a tooth and replacing it, which can reduce the amount of jawbone degradation around the extraction site.
We would love to answer any other questions you may have about implant dentistry. To schedule a consultation with Austin Prosthodontics in Austin, TX, call 512-250-9444. We also proudly welcome patients from Cedar Park, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Leander, and all surrounding Texas communities.