If you are struggling with tooth loss, then you are all too familiar with the detrimental effects on your smile, bite, and speech. Decades ago, patients struggling with similar dental problems had to settle for obvious, obtrusive prosthetics that were bulky in look and feel. Fortunately, tooth replacement options have advanced significantly since then, allowing patients to use lifelike dentures and dental implants to fill the gaps in their smile. However, there are other important factors to consider, like which option is best for jawbone preservation. Keep reading to learn all about how missing teeth leads to bone loss and how to protect your youthful facial structure.
Why Missing Teeth Leads to Bone Loss
All too often, patients missing one, a few, or an entire arch of teeth focus solely on the aesthetic repercussions. While the toll on your self-confidence is important to consider, it is also essential to remember the other, equally as important consequences, like bone loss. When your jawbone is no longer stimulated due to a missing tooth, the bone begins to slowly break down. In fact, within the first year, as much as 25% of the bone is lost! This can significantly impact the shape of your face, especially if you are struggling with advanced tooth loss.
So, Can Dentures Preserve Your Jawbone?
Dentures are a tried-and-true tooth replacement option that is designed to replace several missing teeth or an entire arch. To accomplish this, custom-made, prosthetic teeth are mounted onto a gum-colored base, ensuring your appliance is fully functional and extremely lifelike. The drawback, however, is that dentures rest against your gums for your support, which means they cannot preserve your jawbone. That’s why frequent adjustment appointments are needed to keep your dentures fitting snugly as your facial structure changes.
5 Reasons to Consider Dental Implants
Although dentures can’t prevent bone loss, dental implants certainly can! Since the posts are surgically inserted directly into your jawbone, they provide the necessary stimulation to preserve your facial structure. Plus, this state-of-the-art tooth-replacement option comes with a number of additional benefits, including:
- A 20+ year lifespan (with proper care).
- Maximum stability.
- Lifelike look and feel.
- Easy maintenance.
- No slippage when you eat, laugh, or speak.
If you are one of the 170+ million Americans experiencing with tooth loss, you don’t have to continue struggling to laugh, chew, and talk with confidence. Talk to your dentist today about using dentures or dental implants to renew your smile!
About the Author
Since graduating from the Marquette University School of Dentistry, Dr. Tammy Ton has used her exceptional talent and passion for her craft to help people of all ages achieve the complete, healthy smile they deserve. To stay abreast of the latest tooth-replacement techniques and technology, she completes countless hours of continuing education each year and is an active member of the American Dental Association. If you are struggling with tooth loss, take the next step toward regaining your smile by visiting her website or calling her office today at 972-698-5988.