Since their first clinical use in the 1950s, dental implants have revolutionized the concept of dental prostheses by finally providing a viable replacement for your lost teeth’s roots. Crafted from biocompatible titanium, dental implants are designed to facilitate osseointegration—the process of your jawbone fusing to the implant’s surface—to create a lifelike restoration that functions very much like a natural tooth root. Today, your Encinitas periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, outlines the benefits of supporting your dental prosthetic on one or more dental implants.
Improved security
If you already wear a restorative dental appliance, such as a dental bridge or denture, then you may be familiar with conventional mechanisms of securing replacement teeth, such as hidden clasps and professional-strength dental adhesives. However, your healthy natural teeth owe much of their strength and durability to the sturdiness of their roots, which are embedded in your jawbone. Mimicking your teeth’s natural root-and-crown structure is the only way to emulate their strength, and can only be accomplished through the use of dental implants.
Lifelike discretion
By eliminating the need for external support, dental implant-secured prosthetics offer a lifelike restoration that’s virtually indistinguishable from your real teeth. The porcelain used for your restorative crowns (the visible parts of your replacement teeth) are also specially crafted in a porcelain lab to match your teeth’s light-reflecting properties.
Long-term oral health
The roots of your teeth serve a number of functions, only one of which is supporting your teeth. When stimulated by biting and chewing, your roots act as a beacon for your body to send your jaw an adequate amount of minerals and nutrients. This signal helps keep your jawbone strong while it supplies your teeth with necessary nutrition. Losing a tooth root means losing its share of nutrients, which your body redirects elsewhere. As prosthetic tooth roots, dental implants can help restore root stimulation and prevent the jawbone deterioration that results from the nutrient deficiency. Your adjacent teeth may benefit from dental implants as well. Conventional tooth replacements require neighboring teeth to serve as anchors for the missing tooth. This can place mechanical forces on anchor teeth that increase chances for fracture.
Contemplating Dental Implants? Speak with Your Encinitas Periodontist
To learn more about the benefits of dental implants, or to find out if you qualify for the innovative tooth replacements, seek Dr. Kania’s expertise today by calling our San Diego periodontist’s office at (760) 642-0711. Located in the 92024 area, we proudly serve patients from Encinitas, San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar, La Costa, and the neighboring communities.