More than 120 million Americans have at least one missing tooth, and millions more have tooth decay. Damaged and missing teeth can have a serious impact on your life: from low confidence to oral health complications.
Untreated missing teeth can put your other teeth at risk, and it could lead to jaw bone problems over time. The good news is that dental implants are a safe and effective solution for missing teeth.
No matter your age, you deserve a beautiful, healthy smile. Kohei Morita, DDS, and our team at Morita Dental specialize in custom dental implants, along with implant-supported dentures and bridges.
1. Dental implants are permanent
Traditional dental prosthetics like dentures and bridges are temporary, which means you can take them out. It also means they can shift in your mouth, rub against your gums, and cause discomfort. A dental implant, on the other hand, is surgically inserted into your jaw, and it won’t move.
Getting a dental implant is a minor surgical procedure, but that means your new artificial tooth (or teeth) is permanent — and secure. Dr. Morita makes a small incision in your gums to place your dental implant, and it fuses with your jawbone to create a durable, permanent tooth root that looks and functions just like a healthy natural tooth.
2. Dental implants stimulate bone growth
One of the biggest oral health risks of missing teeth is jawbone deterioration. Healthy teeth stimulate bone growth to keep your jaw strong and hold the rest of your teeth in place, but a missing tooth could lead to jawbone deterioration and eventually, more tooth loss.
Since your dental implant is placed into your jaw bone, it stimulates healthy bone growth. Your jaw grows around the implant to hold it in place. It continues growing and regenerating after your implant has healed, keeping your implant and your remaining natural teeth more secure.
3. Dental implants protect your other teeth
Your teeth all work together in your mouth. If one or more is missing, it changes the way your mouth works when you bite, chew, and talk. Having missing teeth means that your remaining natural teeth may suffer increased stress or shift in your mouth.
Replacing your missing teeth with dental implants helps rebalance pressure when you bite down, reducing the risk of chips, cracks, and other damage on natural teeth. Plus, implants fill gaps and help prevent other teeth shifting around over time.
4. Dental implants improve mouth function
Maybe you can’t eat your favorite foods anymore, or maybe you find it difficult to speak clearly. Missing teeth make your remaining teeth overcompensate when you bite. Gaps can affect the way you talk too, and having missing teeth can simply make using your mouth more difficult.
Dental implants promote healthy mouth function, making it easier to bite, chew, and talk normally. Once your implant fully heals, you don’t have to worry about biting into hard foods or talking easily with friends and family.
5. Dental implants complete your smile
Gaps in your smile can be embarrassing, no matter your age. If you find yourself avoiding showing your teeth, it’s certainly worth noting that dental implants could fill out your smile. These prosthetic teeth are custom made to fit your mouth and look just like your natural teeth, so you can love your look again.
A straight, healthy smile is easier to keep clean too. Dental implants don’t require any special care. All you need to do is brush and floss twice a day and keep up with your regular dental cleaning appointments at Morita Dental.
Dental implants are safe and effective — and they could be the solution to your oral health issues. Schedule your dental implant consultation online, or call our Cupertino, California office at 408-775-7770.