As an adult, losing a tooth means creating a void in your smile. It can not only make an impact on your appearance, it can take its toll on your abilities to chew, bite, and even speak. More importantly, a missing tooth can lead to a loss of density in the bone supporting your teeth. This density loss can endanger the remaining teeth in your mouth. Not only does an implant provide support for a restoration that can fill that void in the appearance of your smile, restore your abilities to bite, chew, and speak, but it can also prevent bone loss.
How Does An Implant Work?
Losing a tooth includes losing the roots of that tooth. A dental implant is a biocompatible titanium post that acts as a replacement for those roots. The bone in the jaw fuses to the implant, which strengthens the area against bone resorption or bone density loss. The implant is precisely placed to withstand pressures from actions that your tooth may take. As the implant acts like the roots of a tooth, it will support a prosthetic restoration that will act like the tooth. A restoration such as a crown, bridge, or dentures will be fully supported by the implant. There is an option for All-On-4® implant dentures that consists of a full or partial set of dentures being supported by just four implants. Depending on the extent of tooth loss, this may be an option to consider.
Dangers of Bone Loss
Without an implant or the natural roots of the tooth, the body believes that the bone is no longer needed to support anything. The body begins to strip away minerals from the jawbone resulting in a loss of density. Over time, this bone loss leads to a softening and reshaping of the jaw. This can cause problems not only for natural teeth, but also for any restorations in the mouth that are not supported by implants. Restorations without implants may begin to shift and fit incorrectly as the bone changes shape.
Implants can provide support and much more
Does your mouth need support from dental implants? 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.
