If you are missing teeth, you can find an effective, permanent way to restore your smile with dental implants. This treatment can enhance your smile’s appearance and improve oral functions following tooth loss.
Implants can help keep bone in your jaw strong as well, maintaining facial structure. Dr. Dhara Patel, a dentist in Hoffman Estates, IL, describes how dental implants can improve the health of your jaw after tooth loss.
What Happens to Jawbone After Tooth Loss?
In a healthy dental patient, the tooth features a root that extends below the gum line to the jaw. This tooth root stimulates the jawbone, ensuring it keeps its strength.
When this root is absent after tooth loss, the jawbone no longer has stimulation and deteriorates. This weakens the jaw, contributing to the appearance of facial sagging. It may also lead to remaining teeth shifting positions and other oral health concerns.
How Can Dental Implants Help My Jaw?
Dental implants feature a titanium post that a dentist surgically places into the jaw, replacing the tooth below the gum line. Once this heals, the dentist will secure a prosthetic tooth or crown to an abutment at the gum line that attaches to this post.
The post replaces the tooth root and stimulates the jawbone once again. This stops bone deterioration and encourages regrowth of any bone that may have already been lost while the tooth was missing.
The patient can feel confident that their facial appearance will remain solid, their smile can be enhanced with filled gaps, and their oral capabilities returned to normal. They can be assured that they can enjoy these benefits for a lifetime.
Can My Jaw Support Dental Implants?
Because implants require placement directly in the jaw, the jawbone must be solid enough to provide a stable foundation for the titanium posts. If too much bone has deteriorated due to tooth loss, you might not be able to support dental implants.
If this is the case, your dentist might suggest a bone graft that can create more structure to the jaw that may support implants once healed. If this is not feasible, your dentist may suggest an alternative tooth replacement treatment.
Dental Implants and More in Hoffman Estates, IL
Best Dental Spa provides dental implants to qualified patients in Hoffman Estates, IL. Dr. Patel specializes in cosmetic, restorative, and general dentistry for patients of all ages. To schedule a consultation or appointment with us, contact our office online or reach us by phone at 847.660.6603.
