When it comes to replacing a lost tooth (or several), there’s more to consider than how good your replacement tooth looks. Discretion is important, and the porcelain used for most of today’s fabricated tooth replacements bear a striking resemblance to your natural teeth, but your teeth serve more important functions than looking pretty. Therefore, your teeth’s replacements should provide the same functionality to preserve the integrity of your oral health. Your Encinitas periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, explains how the addition of dental implants can help your replacement teeth act like natural teeth, and how they help preserve the strength of your smile’s foundation.

The Foundation Your Replacement Teeth Deserve

Healthy teeth consist of more than just a crown that protrudes above the gum line. Below your gums, your teeth’s roots extend into your jawbone, which supports and nourishes your teeth. Traditional dental prostheses, like dental bridges and dentures, consist of replacement crowns secured in place with adhesives, clasps, and the support of remaining teeth. Dental implants, however, are root-shaped devices that are surgically inserted into your jawbone, which fuses to the implant’s biocompatible titanium surface, creating an anchor to secure your replacement teeth. With a base secured in your jawbone, implant-supported dental prosthetics mimic your natural teeth’s entire root-and-crown structure for unmatched stability, comfort, and performance.

Looking at the Big Picture

Aside from providing a solid foundation for fabricated teeth, dental implants also help restore a more subtle importance of healthy tooth roots. When you bite and chew, your teeth’s roots are stimulated to facilitate a healthy of supply of nutrients to your jawbone, which then nourishes your teeth with essential nutrition through their embedded roots. Replacing lost roots with one or more implants can restore that stimulation and help preserve the integrity of your jawbone in the long run.

Learn More About Dental Implants from Your Encinitas Periodontist

To learn more about dental implants and their benefits to your continued good oral health following tooth loss, contact Dr. Kania at our San Diego laser periodontist’s office by calling (706) 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.