While patients who opt for standard appliances may have to cut out some of their favorite foods and some of the healthiest ones, dental implants are less likely to leave a dent in your diet. The only structurally complete tooth replacement solution, dental implants are highly effective at chewing.
If you want to continue to enjoy a wide range of foods after tooth loss, you should consult with an oral surgeon to learn more about dental implants.
How Dental Implants Work
Dental implants are small titanium cylinders that serve as artificial tooth roots. The treatment progresses through a number of stages.
- An oral surgeon inserts the dental implants into the patient’s jaw in an outpatient procedure.
- The bone tissue in the jaw gradually fuses with the dental implant’s surface via a process called osseointegration
- The dental implants become fixtures in the patient’s jaw, acting as artificial tooth roots.
After osseointegration is complete, dental implants can support a single crown, a dental bridge or an entire denture.
Why Dental Implants Preserve Chewing Function
Dental implants are unique tools for restoring the smile after tooth loss because they replace both the root of the missing tooth, along with the crown. Anchored in your jaw and able to tolerate strong chewing forces, the roots of your teeth play an important role in processing your food.
By replacing those roots, dental implants maintain nearly all of the chewing functionality of a natural smile. This preserved chewing function is particularly valuable for patients who choose implant-supported dentures, as these appliances vastly outperform conventional dentures in terms of chewing.
Additional Advantages Of Dental Implants
The ability to continue to enjoy all of your favorite snacks and meals is just one of many benefits a patient receives when working with an oral surgeon to get dental implants instead of opting for a conventional restoration. Other positive qualities of dental implants include improved:
- Comfort
- Convenience
- Longevity
To learn about all of the ways that dental implants can improve your quality of life after tooth loss, schedule a consultation with our team at Jackson Oral Surgery.