Why A Dental Implant Is Good For Your Oral Health

Do you have a missing tooth and not sure if you should replace it? If so, know that the benefits go far beyond having better looking teeth. A dental implant can actually provide oral health benefits by preventing other problems from happening.

Your Teeth Won't Drift

Many people don't realize that having a full set of teeth help keep everything aligned. If you are missing a single tooth, the teeth that surround it will tend to drift towards the gap over time. This makes it hard to get an implant later in life due to the teeth coming out of alignment and will cause your teeth to look even worse. A dental implant will act as a natural tooth when it comes to keeping everything aligned. You won't have any issues with teeth drifting once the implant is in place.

Your Risk of Cavities Decreases

Another problem that occurs from drifting teeth is that more of the surface of those teeth are exposed. It will be much easier for bacteria to get between your teeth and lead to tooth decay. You'll need to do a better job at brushing and flossing your teeth. Those cavities on the side of your teeth are also going to be harder to fill by a dentist, creating a more invasive dental procedure.

Your Risk of Gum Disease Decreases

Leaving the gap in your teeth is going to cause more of your gums to be exposed, especially if a tooth was recently extracted. This exposed part of your mouth can actually make you more prone to having an issue with gum disease due to that exposure. A dental implant fills the gap and reduces gum exposure, which makes it less likely to have an oral health problem in that area of your mouth.

Your Jawbone Will Remain Strong

The roots of your teeth actually help keep the jawbone strong by providing it with much needed stimulation. Even if you replace a missing tooth with a bridge or partial denture, it is unable to replicate using a dental implant and how it provides stimulation thanks to its titanium post. The effect of the missing tooth on your jawbone won't become apparent until years from now when your jawbone shows signs of deterioration, and by that point, the jawbone will be too weak for a dental implant without getting a bone graft procedure performed.

Reach out to your dentist for more information on dental implants.