Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley CA
According to the American College of Prosthodontists, as many as 120 million adults in America are living with at least one missing tooth, and that figure is expected to increase over the next couple of decades. That means that more than one-third of the adults in our country don’t have all of their teeth. The leading cause of tooth loss among adults is gum disease, which is nearly entirely preventable. Luckily, there are tooth replacement options available to restore your bite and your confidence. Dental implant dentists in Los Gatos at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry are here to share five benefits of choosing dental implants to replace your missing teeth, and it doesn’t have to be all about cosmetics.
- Dental implants preserve your natural jawbone
Teeth provide the necessary stimulation to the jawbone. Without them, the jawbone resorbs or diminishes, and eventually can make even wearing a set of dentures nearly impossible. Dental implants, however, are the only tooth replacement option available that provide this stimulation to the jawbone. Having a tooth extracted and not replacing it not only causes loss of jawbone but leads to your other teeth drifting out of place.
- Dental implants prevent your other teeth from drifting
Teeth love company. When one goes missing, the two adjacent teeth begin to drift slowly out of place. Even if the problem area is in the back of your mouth, the effects of the shift may be seen in your front teeth as unwanted gaps form, or your teeth become noticeably crooked. If aesthetics aren’t a big concern for you, your comfort level probably is. As teeth drift and become misaligned, it can lead to jaw discomfort or pain, and even temporomandibular joint disorder. Dental implants, however, can keep your other teeth from drifting out of their natural alignment.
- Dental implants preserve the health of your other teeth
Replacing a missing tooth with a dental bridge is an option, but it means having to have your adjacent teeth filed down for the bridge to attach. This might not be an issue if your adjacent teeth have rather large fillings, or are already in need of dental crowns. But, dental implants don’t require anything to be done to your surrounding teeth, leaving them intact and in their most natural state.
- Dental implants reduce the workload on your other teeth
Our teeth are designed to work together. When one tooth is pulled, it means more work for the others, and that could end up causing even more damage to the teeth that are left. Replacing a missing tooth with a dental implant so that the biting pressure in your mouth can be more evenly distributed, and protect the integrity of your other teeth.
- Dental implants offer the best benefits of tooth replacement
While other tooth replacement options are available, nothing compares to dental implants. They are permanently embedded into your jawbone, so they look, act, and feel just like a natural tooth. And, one of the best benefits is that they are designed to last a lifetime, unlike other restorations they may need to be replaced every decade or so.
If you have a missing tooth, protect your oral health, and restore your confidence by getting a dental implant in Scotts Valley. To learn more or to see if dental implants could be the right option for you, contact Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry by calling (831) 438-4411. We welcome patients of Los Gatos, Scotts Valley, and Santa Cruz.
