Missing teeth are common. In fact, specialists estimate that approximately 178M adults in the U.S. are missing teeth, and around 40M have no teeth left, whatsoever. Whether lost to gum disease, injury, or decay, the issues that lie ahead for those with missing teeth are more than simply cosmetic.
Teeth gaps enable nearby teeth to shift into the vacant space and therefore, become misaligned. It leads to a bad bite, or maloclusion, that may damage the teeth with fractures and cracks.
And because the jaw relies upon the repeated pressure it receives each time you chew and bite to stimulate the growth of bone, once there is an empty space in the row of teeth, the bone underneath it slowly deteriorates.
It’s possible to prevent such issues by replacing missing teeth or a single tooth with an implant. Unlike bridges and dentures that fill a gap yet do not address the underlying problem of bone health, implants solve both problems.
Implants enable you to talk normally
Dentures are a popular solution for missing teeth, but they come with some drawbacks, which includes the fact that they often slip while talking. Individuals with dentures must often relearn how to enunciate specific words and sounds to keep the dental appliance in place.
On the other hand, dental implants do not impact your speech, whatsoever. They precisely fit in line with other teeth — they stay in place and feel completely natural, so you’re able to rattle off a tongue-twister without the fear of false teeth falling out.
Implants are better for your mouth health
We mentioned the drawback to leaving a gap untreated — loss of jawbone and shifting teeth. Implants address both of those severe problems, and they’ll save your gums.
In filling a gap, implants decrease the surface area of the gums and thereby decrease your gum disease risk. The more exposed gum tissue there is, the better the opportunity that bacteria may set up camp and coat the surface.
For more details on our implant dentistry in Wilmington North Carolina get in touch with Phelps Family Dentistry at (910) 762-3481 right away!