There are plenty of cosmetic procedures you can have done, and most of them are just designed to make you look good. There are, however, procedures that can make you look good and improve your overall health and wellness. For example, dental implants can give you a great smile and improve your oral health at the same time.
At Metairie Village Dentistry, Lisa Wyatt, DDS, is an expert in restoring dental implants. In this blog, she explains the many noncosmetic reasons dental implants are a great option for replacing missing teeth.
From trauma and decay to failed root canals and tooth loss, dental implants can address a wide range of severe tooth problems. Our dental implants look and feel like real teeth, so no one ever has to know you’ve had work done on your smile. However, there are many noncosmetic reasons why dental implants are the superior option to other corrective measures. Here are a few of them:
Because dental implants are as close to real teeth as you can get, there are no limits on what you can eat. This means you can take a bite out of an apple, nibble on nuts, and chomp on chicken. With the door open to all foods, you can consume a wider range of nutritious foods and support your overall health.
Leaving a gap or two in your mouth can have a serious impact on your oral health. The teeth adjacent to your missing teeth can shift and throw off your alignment. Furthermore, a tooth unopposed by another tooth may only find gum tissue to chomp down on. This can lead to soreness and even infection. With dental implants in place, your alignment and bite will return to normal, and your once-defenseless gums will have teeth to protect them.
Another health benefit is jaw support. Teeth not only help you chew and eat, but they also help your jaws stay healthy. When you chew, your teeth press against your jawbones. This pressure stimulates your jaws to create new tissue. Without this stimulation, your jaws can begin to deteriorate in the areas where there are no teeth. Implants can give your jaws the stimulation they need again.
And when it comes to taking care of your teeth, you treat implants just like you would your other teeth. All you need to do is brush and floss twice a day and go to your regular dental appointments.
With your implants firmly in place, having a chat with your friends and loved ones will be a breeze. You won’t need to be careful with your jaw movements to make sure your dentures don’t slip, and you won’t need to worry about mumbling or slurring your words. You’ll be able to speak freely and confidently, knowing your smile will look great and won’t slide out of place.
If dental implants sound like the right choice for you, come see Dr. Wyatt for an evaluation.
She’ll determine whether or not your gums are healthy enough to support the implants and check for other dental problems before recommending implants.
During surgery, she’ll place a titanium post or screw into the bone socket of your missing tooth. The post — which will act as your new tooth’s root — will fuse with your jawbone over the following weeks. After the post fuses with your jawbone, Dr. Wyatt will attach an abutment to the top of your post. Dr. Wyatt will then attach your new crown to the abutment. When your implant is complete, the only thing anyone will see is your new crown, which will look just like your other teeth.
Dental implants can give your self-esteem and well-being a big boost. If you have more questions or are ready to get started with an evaluation, book an appointment online or over the phone with Metairie Village Dentistry today.
