People who lose teeth can lose confidence in their dental function along with their smile. If you are missing several teeth, you can feel even less confident! As you start to explore the benefits of prosthetic dental work, you can discover that your dentist can give back more than just your complete smile. At our Ankeny, IA dentist’s office, we can provide prosthetic dental work that has cosmetic as well as functional benefits. By securing a dental prosthetic to a dental implant, we can make it easier for you to trust your restoration when you need to bite and chew. Implants keep a restoration held to your jawbone, allowing you to bite, chew, and speak without a loose or unstable prosthetic affecting you. This arrangement also makes it easier for you to avoid oral health problems later, as it prevents jawbone deterioration from occurring after tooth loss.
How Tooth Loss Impacts A Person’s Life
It is fair to acknowledge that tooth loss changes a person’s smile. If you have lost even one tooth, it can also create problems for your bite function, as you can feel awkward or uncomfortable when you try to bite down in a space where there is a gap between teeth. Over time, those teeth around a gap may start to loosen because they lack support, which can lead to more tooth loss! Patients who try to consistently work around this issue can become reliant on awkward bite movement, which can lead to aches and pains, and may also cause you to start grinding your teeth.
Including Dental Implant Placement In Plans To Restore Your Smile
Through the placement and restoration of dental implants, a person’s smile can be restored with permanent prosthetic appliances. This arrangement does more than just give you back your confidence in your smile. When you have a dental crown or dental bridge permanently set in place, you can find it easier to bite and chew using a natural movement. This reduces stress, and it also makes you less reliant on your remaining natural teeth. Over time, the use of your implant-held prosthetic will protect you against jawbone deterioration, as the stimulation will help sustain the bone and keep it from losing mass.
Maintaining Your Oral Health After Tooth Loss And Prosthetic Work
While dental implants provide functional as well as cosmetic benefits, you should make an effort to sustain your oral health after treatment. Consistent brushing and flossing will help you fight bacteria buildup around your implant and restoration. At regular dental exams, your dentist can confirm that there are no problems with your prosthetic, and that you are not vulnerable to losing more teeth.
Talk To Your Ankeny, IA Dentist About Dental Implants!
Our Ankeny, IA dentist’s office is ready to help patients who have suffered tooth loss and want to know what their treatment options are. To learn how dental implants can help you bite, chew, and smile with confidence again, contact Dental Impressions at (515) 965-0230 to schedule a visit.