Missing Teeth & The Importance of Dental Implants

Pull aside any adult and ask them what George Washington’s teeth were made of. Odds are most of them will say “wood.” And while they’re not entirely correct—his dentures actually included different replacement materials like human teeth, animal teeth, ivory and metal alloys—that example goes to show just how prominent false teeth have been in mankind’s history.

For centuries, we’ve been using various materials to turn half-smiles whole. Porcelain, for example, has been used since the 1700s—and while it remains a popular choice for many dental applications, technology has allowed us to offer more durable, more reliable, and longer-lasting alternatives.

That’s where dental implants come into play. If you’re missing teeth due to injury, disease or decay, this state-of-the-art option can be fitted into your existing jawbone through a series of procedures, allowing patients like yourself to benefit from replacement teeth that look and act like the ones you’re missing.

What Can Dental Implants Do for You?

Dental implants provide a wide array of benefits to patients looking to repair or complete their smile—and these benefits aren’t just cosmetic, either. Dental implants can help you keep chewing and speaking while simultaneously preventing premature aging. Here, we’ll take a deeper dive into these benefits to help you make a more informed decision before contacting our office to schedule a consultation.

Prevent Premature Aging

Sagging. It’s everyone’s nightmare. As we age, the skin begins to lose its elasticity and ability to “bounce back” from everyday wear and tear. Your face is no different but can be affected differently when you lose teeth. Once out, your body begins to reabsorb the bone the root used to inhabit. This is due to the lack of stimulation, or use, of that tooth and bone. Over time, this can cause facial sagging, wrinkling, and thinning, especially around the mouth. Dental implants can provide a stable source of stimulation (via chewing), preventing bone loss and its subsequent side effects.

Retain Your Ability to Chew

Unlike traditional, removable dentures, dental implants allow patients to chew with ease. Like any dental procedure, you may have to limit yourself to a soft food diet for a short time afterward. However, unlike dentures and other replacement options, once healed you can eat just about anything you can think of because implants provide a more natural bite force, comparable to your natural teeth. Steak? Get to grilling. Hot soups? Start slurping. While we’d still shy away from sugary drinks and snacks, the sky’s the limit once your implants are secured.

Maintain Your Ability to Speak

Whether you realize it or not, your teeth play a vital role in speech. Lose a front tooth, suddenly you’re speaking with a lisp or a whistle. Similarly, dentures can come loose during speaking, also causing lisps and slurs. Dental implants, on the other hand, act like normal teeth—and because they’re screwed into your jawbone, they won’t move at all, allowing you to press your tongue against them to form sounds and words.

Boost Your Self-Confidence

There’s nothing wrong with natural gaps in teeth. In fact, we find them beautiful. However, gaps due to missing teeth—one or many—can be a source of self-criticism. While dentures and other non-permanent alternatives might provide a quick fix to your smile, your chew and your ability to speak, only dental implants look and feel like the real thing. These long-lasting options can help keep your oral health in order and boost your self-confidence for years to come.

Are Dental Implants Right for You?

The question that’s on everyone’s mind: Are dental implants right for you? Well, if you’re looking for a comfortable, durable, lifelike and (nearly) pain-free option to restore your smile, we’d certainly recommend them. It doesn’t matter if you’re missing one tooth or more, we’ll provide a consultation to help you make an informed decision.

At Dr. King’s Family Dentistry, we provide dental implants to restore your smile. We offer high-quality implants with a lifetime warranty to help you feel confident in your ability to smile and chew. To learn more about our dental implants, please contact us at (757) 464-6228.