Dental implants are one of the solutions dentists may turn to when you have missing teeth or need teeth removed. These implants provide a permanent solution that look like real teeth and have the same level of support. There are many benefits of dental implants, one of them being that they prevent bone loss in the jaw bone. Let's take a look at how this works.
Bone Loss From Missing Teeth
When you have a gap from a missing tooth or an impermanent solution like dentures filling in the space, the bone in your jaw can deteriorate in time. This is because you are missing the tooth root that is connected to the jaw bone and helps keep it strong.
When the root and tooth are in place, they put force against the bone through chewing, which is a beneficial process that encourages bone strength and growth. On the other hand, when the teeth are missing, the bone loses the force from chewing and begins the deterioration process right away.
Over time, the bone loss can become extensive. While bone loss is bad enough, it can lead to additional concerns, including reduced gum tissue and a change to the structure of your face. It's best to try to prevent the bone loss in the beginning before it leads to problems that require extensive dental work to fix.
How Do Dental Implants Prevent Bone Loss?
Dental implants can actually prevent jaw bone loss and stimulate bone growth, unlike dentures or bridges. That’s because dentures and bridges only fill in the space where the tooth was, while dental implants go deeper. They replace both the tooth and the root by including a titanium post that goes through the gums directly into the jaw bone. The dentist then attaches a crown to the post to provide a tooth replacement.
The jaw bone grows around this post, treating it like a natural tooth root. It becomes a permanent part of your mouth. When you chew with the implant, the crown and post will put the same force on the jaw bone as a natural tooth and root, encouraging the bone to maintain its strength and to grow. In this way, implants can maintain the integrity of the jaw bone and keep it from deteriorating.
By keeping the bone intact, dental implants also help prevent other problems and other work from being necessary. You can avoid bone grafting to build up deteriorated bone structure, solutions for reduced gum tissue and other extensive dental work that would cost you a lot of time, trouble and money. While dental implants may be more complex and expensive than bridges and dentures at the time of the procedure, in the long run they will save you a lot of hassle and money.
Learn Whether Dental Implants Are Right for You
Dental implants are the only solution to missing teeth that prevent the jaw bone from deteriorating. This benefit makes them a great option that can prevent the need for further work down the road. During a consultation, we can help you learn more about dental implants and whether they’re right for your situation. Contact us through our website or call 301-515-2466 to schedule an appointment.