Dental Implants
Visible missing teeth detract from the beauty of your smile. Even missing teeth in the back of your mouth can cause long-term dental problems and painful chewing. Dental implants can permanently restore the natural beauty of your smile while protecting your teeth, gums, and jaw.
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is placed into the jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. Dental implants are an ideal option for people in good general oral health who have lost a tooth or teeth due to periodontal disease, an injury, or some other reason. If you are missing one or more teeth and would like to smile, speak and eat again with comfort and confidence, implants might be the right choice for you.
The Importance of Replacing Missing Teeth
If your missing teeth are in the back of your mouth you may feel that it is not so important to replace them. But replacing them can preserve your dental health by preventing the remaining teeth from moving out of alignment in efforts to fill the gap.
Many people do not realize how much damage a missing tooth can cause over time:
- Allowing teeth to shift out of alignment
- Gum disease
- Tooth decay
- Bone loss
- Painful chewing
Patient Before and After: Dental Implants
Long Lasting and Healthy
A dental implant is a long lasting solution. If properly cared for, a dental implant can last a lifetime. The implant acts as an anchor for a replacement tooth or a bridge, preventing stress on the surrounding teeth and allowing you to care for your restoration as you would care for your natural teeth.
You never have to worry about slippage of your bridge and the discomfort and embarrassment that can cause; or about fussing with dentures.
Since the implant replaces the tooth root it preserves the jaw bone which would otherwise shrink to fill the gap. The gums would also shrink, along with the bone they cover. Shrinkage of the jaw bone and gums cause the sunken look that is normally associated with tooth loss and contributes to premature aging.
Dental implants can save time and money in the long run. They protect your teeth from damage in the future and if your artificial tooth or bridge becomes damaged due to trauma or an accident it can be replaced without affecting the implant itself.
Learn more about dental implants by reading our Questions About Dental Implants. If you are in the St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota area, please call or email us today to schedule your free initial consultation and find out if dental implants are a good option for you.
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