Dental Care and Special Needs: Planning for Success

Posted on: 3 November 2021

Dental implants are increasing in popularity as more and more people realize the benefits. However, dental implants involve minor surgery and it's important to make decisions about things like that very carefully. To help you better understand the benefits of dental implants, review the below information before you make your decision.

They Fool Your Bones 

When a tooth falls out, the jawbones under the gums know about it. As the space remains empty, the bones become weak underneath. These important jawbones sense that there is no need to maintain any bone density in that area. The deterioration can, unfortunately, be permanent if the space is not filled soon. When the jawbones weaken, your face can look saggy. Once you lose bone mass in the jaw area, the only way to fill it up again is with a bone graft operation. An implant, however, fools your jawbones into believing that you have a tooth there that must be supported so your bones remain strong and stable.

They Prevent Shifty Motions 

Each tooth depends on the teeth around it to remain in its proper place. When a tooth goes missing, the teeth around it can begin to shift about. That not only can be bad for appearance's sake, but it also can lead to loose teeth, decay, and gum diseases. Implants prevent those teeth from moving around and becoming shifty.

One Less Decay Opportunity 

Dental implants are made of several very strong substances, but they are even stronger than your natural teeth. They are usually made of titanium posts with a metal and ceramic crown. They will never be subject to decay because the materials are impervious to sugar, bacteria, acids, and more. That being said, you still need to care for your teeth, including your implanted teeth, to prevent gum issues and problems with any surrounding teeth.

They Appear Natural 

Unlike other ways to fill in a missing tooth space, implants are shaped and colored to perfectly blend in with your other teeth. The only thing anyone will notice is how attractive your smile looks. There are no wires holding them in and no dark lines at the gumline. You can brush and floss just as you always do to maintain your dental health.

They Are Flexible 

While many people use an implant to fill in a missing tooth, they may also be the solution for many other dental issues. Take dentures for example. Using implants alongside dentures creates more stability for the bone underneath. That means denture wearers don't have to have their dentures adjusted as often because the gum and jawbone don't change as much because of the presence of the post.

Learn more about dental implants by speaking to a dentist.