Enjoy Your Favorite Foods With Dental Implants

Patients who experience tooth loss may also lose the ability to chew their favorite foods thoroughly. Nutrition can also be affected, as it is difficult to properly chew many raw fruits and vegetables without a structurally complete tooth or prosthetic. Not only do you need to replace missing teeth to preserve your dietary preferences, but the type of tooth replacement you choose matters as well. Dental implants, which consist of a root-like structure and a prosthetic crown, are more effective at chewing than conventional appliances like fixed dental bridges and standard dentures.

When an oral surgeon places a dental implant in a patient’s jaw, the bone fuses with that dental implant, which is made from biocompatible titanium. Because the dental implant is a fixture in the jaw, it can take on many of the functions of a biological tooth’s root, including the ability to tolerate rather strong chewing forces.

In contrast, conventional appliances include only the prosthetic crown, and lacking an anchor into the bone, they are not as strong as implant-supported prosthetics.

Improved chewing capability is not the only benefit patients get from working with an oral surgeon to get dental implants. A dental implant patient’s jawbone is also more stable over time because the integrated implant helps to prevent its erosion. Therefore, implant-supported dentures won’t lose their fit due to jawbone atrophy like conventional dentures do.

An implant-supported appliance also feels more lifelike and requires minimal extra care beyond regular good oral hygiene practices. Patients tend to appreciate this convenience and comfort associated with dental implants as well.

Dental implants do require a surgical procedure for placement, and patients may have some reservations about that. However, most people recover within a few days, and your surgeon will advise you how to reduce your risk of complications that could interfere with your recovery. Be sure to discuss any concerns that you have with the surgeon.

Do you want to continue to enjoy your favorite foods even after experiencing tooth loss? Talk to one of our practitioners about dental implants. Call our office to schedule your initial consultation at Commonwealth Oral & Facial Surgery.