October is National Dental Hygiene Month, and we’re celebrating by discussing the oral health benefits of dental implants! Dental implants are replacement teeth that are inserted into the jawbone. Unlike other dental restorations, implants are a permanent solution that allow you to effectively restore your teeth and bite. They are recommended by dentists for a variety of reasons, which we will discuss in this blog post. If you have missing teeth and you’re looking for an improved smile and better oral health, then dental implants may be right for you!
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are replacement teeth that are inserted into the jawbone. They are composed of three parts: the implant, the abutment, and the restoration. The implant is a small, threaded metal post that is inserted into the jawbone. Once it has bonded with the bone, the abutment (a small connector piece) is screwed into the top of the implant. Finally, the dental restoration (the replacement tooth or teeth) are placed on top of the abutment. Once all the pieces have been connected, the end result is a strong, stable, and natural-looking replacement tooth or teeth!
The Oral Health Benefits of Dental Implants
While dental implants offer toothless patients a variety of benefits, this month we want to focus exclusively on oral health benefits to celebrate National Dental Hygiene Month. Here are some of the top oral health benefits of dental implants:
Decreases the Risk of Tooth Decay:
One of the main reasons why dental implants are recommended is because they can help to decrease the risk of tooth decay. When teeth are missing, gaps can form in your smile that allow bacteria and plaque to accumulate. These gaps are difficult to clean, and over time they can lead to tooth decay in the surrounding teeth. Dental implants help to close these gaps and prevent bacteria from accumulating. Additionally, dental implants and replacement teeth are not susceptible to tooth decay like natural teeth. This is one reason why it makes sense to replace severely decayed teeth with dental implants.
Allows for Easier Cleaning:
Another oral health benefit of dental implants is that they allow for easier cleaning. This is partially because dental implants eliminate gaps where bacteria can collect, and because they can also be used to eliminate crooked teeth. When you have dental implants, there are no nooks and crannies for plaque and bacteria to hide in. This makes it much easier to keep your smile clean and healthy!
Decreases Bad Breath:
Bad breath is often caused by food particles and bacteria that become trapped in the teeth. Dental implants make it easy to keep your teeth clean and decrease the amount of bacteria in your mouth, both of which can help to decrease bad breath.
Protects Remaining Teeth:
When teeth are missing, the surrounding teeth can begin to shift out of place. This can cause a variety of problems, including bite misalignment and an increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease. It can also drastically increase the risk of damage to your teeth from uneven biting forces. Dental implants help to keep your remaining teeth in place and protect them from further damage and other complications.
Preserves Natural Bite:
Dental implants preserve the natural bite by replacing missing teeth. When teeth are missing, the surrounding teeth can begin to shift out of place. Not only can this negatively affect the surrounding teeth, but this can cause bite misalignment and an increased risk of developing temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). Dental implants help to keep your remaining teeth in place, which ultimately helps to preserve your natural bite.
Promotes Healthy Eating Habits:
Dental implants make it easy to eat all of your favorite foods! When you have missing teeth, certain foods can be off-limits because they are too difficult to chew. With dental implants, you can enjoy all of your favorite foods without worry! Not only will this improve your mood, but it ensures that you are able to eat a healthy diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and meat. Receiving a variety of nutrients is important to both your oral and overall health, and dental implants allow you to keep this diversity in your daily diet.
Maintains Bone Mass:
Another oral health benefit of dental implants is that they help to maintain bone mass. When teeth are missing, the jawbone can begin to deteriorate. This can cause a host of problems, including an increased risk of tooth loss and a change in facial appearance. Since they replicate natural tooth roots, dental implants help to stimulate the jawbone and prevent it from deteriorating.
Prevents Dental Pain:
Dental implants can also help to prevent dental pain. When teeth are missing, the surrounding teeth can become overloaded and begin to hurt. Dental implants help to distribute the force evenly and prevent the surrounding teeth from becoming overloaded. Not only that, but dental implants are fixed in place, so they will not rub or cause irritation like other tooth replacement options, such as dentures. In fact, dental implants are so comfortable, you’ll forget that you even have them!
In Conclusion
In this blog post, we have discussed the top oral health benefits of dental implants. As you can see, there are many reasons why dental implants are recommended by dentists. If you are interested in learning more about dental implants, or if you are considering getting dental implants, be sure to talk to your dentist. They will be able to answer any questions you may have and help you make the best decision for your smile!
Happy National Dental Hygiene Month!
Irfan Atcha, DDS, DICOI, DADIA at New Teeth Chicago Dental in Chicago, Illinois is a board-certified general dentist and a nationally recognized expert in dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, and sedation dentistry. Dr. Atcha is now serving patients in Naples, Bonita Springs and SW FL area with All-on-4 implants, teeth-in-a-day, same day dental implants and the complex zygomatic dental implants for the no-jaw bone solution approach. To schedule a consultation please email Dr. Atcha at teethforyou@gmail.com.
