Dental implants are the perfect answer to mouth dysfunction and poor oral health. Consider them for better oral health in 2024.
Dental implants replace teeth from root to crown. With intensive planning and solutions, they replace missing adult teeth and improve smiles. But dental implants offer plenty of other benefits as well.
With over 150 million people in the United States missing at least one tooth, implants are an essential offering at many dental practices nationwide. Dental implants can improve your grin even if you’re missing multiple teeth.
Expert dentists Thi Hoang, DDS, and Theresa Hoang, DDS, offer dental implants as the most permanent solution for missing adult teeth at Las Positas Family Dental in Livermore, California.
By the end of this blog, you’ll understand why 3 million people in the United States have at least one dental implant and why dentists place an additional 500 thousand implants annually.
How dental implants work
Understanding dental implants is the first step. First, they are permanent. While you may need to eventually replace a restoration attached to an implant, such as a crown or bridge, the implant is fused with your jawbone.
The implant replaces the root of a missing tooth. It’s a titanium device that looks like a screw, which we place in your jawbone during a minor oral surgery. If you don’t have enough bone density in your jaw to support an implant, we can augment your bone mass with a graft before your implant surgery.
Once the implant is in place and sturdy, your dentist can attach a custom crown, bridge, or denture to replace one or multiple teeth. The implant holds the restoration in place, so you can use it just as you use your natural teeth.
The implant advantage – what you can gain
Implants restore your smile’s appearance and preserve your oral health and function. Plus, they can help you avoid cosmetic changes resulting from missing teeth, like sunken cheeks and sagging skin. Here’s what dental implants can offer:
Restored speech clarity
Losing one or more teeth can lead to speech challenges. With a dental implant and restoration, you can improve your pronunciation.
Restored chewing
Missing teeth can lead to challenges with chewing. Replacing one or more missing teeth with dental implants and restorations optimizes chewing and improves your bite force.
Bone preservation
Tooth loss deteriorates the jawbone. The roots of your teeth stimulate the bone to keep it sturdy. When you lose a tooth and its root, the underlying bone no longer gets the needed stimulation. A dental implant strengthens your jawbone, just like a natural tooth root.
Stabilization of nearby teeth
Bite imbalances are common after losing one or more teeth because the others shift into the open space over time. You can keep your bite aligned and avoid complications with a dental implant and restoration.
Find out if you qualify today
Are you interested in restoring your oral health and appearance with dental implants and custom restorations? Visit us for a consultation. Call Las Positas Family Dental or request an appointment online today.