If you’re missing one or more teeth, it can be hard to find the motivation to replace them. This is especially true if they’re in the back of the mouth. After all, why bother replacing your missing teeth if no one is going to see them? As it turns out, there are several reasons beyond just aesthetics why you should replace a missing tooth with dental implants. Here are 5 reasons that dental implants can benefit you.

1. Bone Loss

The most common cause of bone loss in the jaw is missing teeth. The roots of your teeth stimulate your jawbone whenever you bite and chew. If your tooth root is gone, your jawbone is no longer stimulated in that area. As a result, the jawbone gradually begins to atrophy from disuse. Dental implants are the only solution to tooth loss that replaces the tooth roots. So, they can provide the jawbone with enough support to prevent shrinkage.

2. Aged Appearance

When your jawbone shrinks, your face actually begins to look sunken and aged. Because dental implants provide stimulation to the jawbone, they are able to keep your face looking young and vibrant for years to come.

3. Shifting Teeth

When you have a gap in your grin, the teeth on either side of the space will often move around to try and fill the gap in on their own. This shifting in turn creates more space for all of your remaining teeth to shift, creating a domino effect that could impact your entire bite. Dental implants fill the gaps to prevent shifting teeth.

4. Difficulty Chewing

Depending on where in your mouth you are missing teeth, eating your favorite foods may not be as easy as it used to be. Missing front teeth can make biting difficult, while back teeth are essential in gnashing food into tiny swallow-able bits. Failure to adequately chew can result in digestion problems like acid reflux. In addition, you won’t be able to properly absorb all the nutrients from your food. Dental implants allow you to chew just like you did before you lost your teeth.

5. Speech Problems

Gaps in your smile can make it hard to pronounce certain words. You may accidentally make a whistling noise, have a slight lisp, or slur your words. With dental implants, your pronunciation skills will be back to what they were before your tooth loss.

As you can see, dental implants are the best way to prevent problems that could take hold if you don’t replace your missing teeth. If you’re missing one or more teeth, ask your dentist if implants are right for you.

About the Author

Dr. Johnny Cheng has completed more than 500 hours of postgraduate training, including a continuum of courses at the prestigious Arrowhead Institute. His professional affiliations include the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the American Dental Association, the Texas Dental Association, and the Academy of General Dentistry. At his practice, Fort Dental in Fort Worth, TX, he can place and restore dental implants, ensuring start-to-finish success. If you are interested in filling the gaps in your grin with dental implants, you can reach Dr. Cheng at his website or by phone at (817) 292-5957.