Why Get a Dental Implant When You Have a Missing Tooth
If you're missing a tooth, you know that it affects your smile and your overall appearance, but may not realise how it affects your oral health as well. The options for those with a missing tooth or two are bridges or dental implants. A dental implant in particular is a false tooth that actually screws into the gum line and stays there permanently. Note a few reasons why you should get a missing tooth replaced and why a dental implant can be the best choice for you.
Protect Your Oral Health
A missing tooth is not just unsightly; it is also very dangerous to your overall oral health. This is because the pocket of gums where the tooth is missing holds more germs and bacteria than when a tooth is present. It can also be more challenging to brush and floss in those areas as the gums may be more sensitive when exposed, and in turn brushing and flossing become downright painful.
When you're missing a tooth you can also suffer bone loss in the jaw, as the tooth roots keep the bones healthy. This can actually lead to a change in the entire shape of your face and difficulty talking and even eating. Other teeth can also start to come loose, as teeth rest next to each other for support. When one tooth is missing, the teeth next to this gap can start to shift so that in turn, they may come loose and you soon are missing even more teeth. This is why it's good to replace a missing tooth, for the protection of your oral health.
Offers Comfort & Stability
Some people may choose a bridge for their missing tooth or teeth, but a dental implant can be a much better option for a few reasons. One is that it's permanent, so you don't need to worry about taking it out and cleaning it every night. The hassle of having to remove and clean a bridge is often one reason why many people neglect doing this, so that it harbors germs and bacteria. It can also be costly to purchase the cleaning products you need for a bridge.
Food and other particles can get caught between the bridge and the gums, so that this causes pain and even cuts to the gum line. With a dental implant, there is no risk of food getting caught along the gums and it gets cleaned along with other teeth with every brushing.
Learn more about your options by consulting resources like Dr David Young & Associates Dental Surgeons.