Tooth loss can make life difficult – especially oral function. Unfortunately, some tooth replacement methods leave patients struggling with limited diets and discomfort. When it comes to replicating lost teeth, dental implants surpass any other tooth replacement option. Dental implants allow patients to enjoy diverse diets and a restored smile.
If you have lost teeth, we recommend consulting with an oral surgeon to determine if dental implants meet your needs.
Dental Implants and Your Diet
Tooth loss and prosthetics like dentures will negatively affect your oral function. Eating comfortably without a full set of teeth is difficult. Moreover, prosthetics like dentures have limitations. Over time, dentures will fit poorly as the shape of the mouth changes with bone loss. This will lead to dentures moving during meals and speech.
Replacing teeth with dental implants offers an unprecedented capacity to eat a variety of foods without obstruction or difficulty. Patients who have dental implants enjoy diverse types of food, including tough and chewy items like steak. Crunchy and fibrous foods like celery aren’t off the table either.
The reason dental implants allow for optimal oral function is because they are embedded into the jawbone. Bone will fuse around the implant the same way it fuses around the roots of teeth. This process means that implants are locked in place and can withstand the forces associated with chewing, tearing, and biting food.
Other Benefits of Dental Implants
Beyond restoring oral function, dental implants provide a number of benefits to patients who’ve endured tooth loss.
One aspect that makes dental implants superior to other prosthetics is that they help keep the jawbone healthy. Bone atrophy is a typical side effect of tooth loss. Without a tooth’s root to keep the bone active, the bone will deteriorate. Since implants function like teeth, they will prevent bone loss by keeping the jaw stimulated.
Dental implants support crowns and bridges that can be made from lifelike materials. When patients choose porcelain or porcelain fused to metal for their crowns and bridges, their replacement teeth will look and feel very much like biological teeth. Implants are also easy to care for with normal brushing and flossing.
If you have questions about implant dentistry, call Permian Basin Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center to schedule a consultation with our oral surgeon.
