Dental Implants Are the Healthiest Tooth Replacement Option: Here's Why

Dental implants have become an increasingly popular choice among the millions of Americans who are missing one or more teeth. Attached to your jawbone, dental implants are designed for greater comfort and functionality, and with proper care, they can last just as long as your natural teeth — or even longer.

At DNTL Studio, Valay Desai, DDS, and Prashant Amin, DDS, offer state-of-the-art implants for patients in Upland, California, using the most advanced technology for beautiful results. In this post, learn why implants are the healthy choice when it comes to replacing one or more missing teeth.

Why implants are a healthy choice

Regardless of whether you select an implant, a denture, or a bridge, replacing a missing tooth is always a wise choice in terms of maintaining your bite balance and chewing ability. But among all those options, dental implants offer some clear advantages.

Preserving neighboring teeth

Implants don’t damage any other teeth. Bridges need to be secured to the teeth on either side, and to do that, those teeth need to be filed down first so they can receive crowns. 

While a crown provides added strength and protection to these teeth, there’s no doubt that leaving teeth untouched is a better option for your overall oral health. Implants are secured into your jawbone, stand on their own, and don’t negatively affect your other teeth.

No sore spots

Today’s dentures are designed to fit snugly and securely, but there’s always the risk of slippage. That risk increases as you get older and your jawbone begins to thin over time. 

Ill-fitting dentures that slip and slide can quickly create abrasions and sores on your gums, palate, or other soft tissues, and these sores can lead to painful infections. 

Dentures also increase your risk of denture stomatitis, a fungal infection that happens when the denture plate creates a warm, protected environment for fungal growth. Denture stomatitis affects as many as 70% of denture wearers. Implants are fastened to your jawbone, so there’s no risk of slippage or the sore spots and infections that can result. 

Preventing bone loss (and tooth loss too)

Like every other bone in your body, your jawbone is continually renewing itself, replacing old, worn bone tissue with healthy, new tissue. But this process doesn’t happen on its own. Your tooth roots play a big role, stimulating jawbone tissue so it continues its replacement cycle and keeps your jaws healthy and sound.

When a tooth is gone, the bone tissue in that part of your jaw doesn’t receive the stimulation it needs to maintain that cycle. As a result, your bone in that area starts to grow thin and weak. Eventually, your bone becomes so thin that it can’t support your tooth roots on either side, leading to additional tooth loss as you get older. Bone loss is also why your dentures may start to feel loose and need ongoing adjustments.

Dental implants help prevent tooth loss as well. Anchored in your jaw, dental implants take the place of your natural tooth roots, stimulating the bone replacement cycle that keeps your jawbone sound and strong. Because dentures and bridges rest on top of your gums, they can’t achieve that important benefit. 

Improved confidence

Dental implants offer physical health benefits, but they benefit you emotionally too. That’s because implants look, feel, and function more like your natural teeth. 

There’s no risk of embarrassing slippage, and they can be cared for just like the rest of your teeth. These simple benefits can have a major impact on your confidence and peace of mind compared to bridges and dentures.

Learn more about dental implants

Advances in materials and technology mean today’s implants are more affordable than ever. To learn more about dental implants and how they can preserve your beautiful smile and oral health, call DNTL Studio to schedule a consultation or book an appointment online today.