Dentures are a traditional way to restore your smile when you’re missing all your teeth, but they’re not the only option anymore. Dental implants can permanently restore any number of teeth with unmatched comfort and aesthetics. However, choosing dental implants over dentures in Scripps Ranch provides more than just lifelike looks and the ability to comfortably enjoy your favorite foods. Implant-retained dentures are better for your oral health and your jawbone. Read on to learn how to replace your missing teeth while preventing jawbone loss!
How Missing Teeth Lead to Bone Loss
Your pearly whites do more than just chew your food! Pressure exerted on them goes through their roots and stimulates blood flow in the jawbone. When a tooth goes missing, the area of the jaw it was anchored in no longer gets the proper circulation. Eventually, it will begin to deteriorate and shrink away in a process called bone reabsorption. Dental experts report that a missing tooth can lead to nearly 25% bone loss in the nearby portion of the jawbone within just the first year.
Dentures Only Solve Half the Problem
Dentures in Scripps Ranch are a tried-and-true way to replace missing teeth quickly and affordably. These custom-made dental appliances fit snugly on top of the gums to restore the appearance of a fully intact smile. However, that’s not enough to prevent jawbone deterioration. Chewing with your dentures only puts pressure on top of the gums, allowing the jawbone underneath to continue shrinking away. In fact, some studies suggest that wearing dentures can increase the rate of bone loss caused by missing teeth.
How to Protect Your Jaw & Prevent Bone Loss
Thankfully, there is a way to replace all your missing teeth while keeping your jawbone strong: implant-retained dentures! This unique kind of denture can replace a whole arch of missing teeth while encouraging circulation underneath the gumline. Instead of resting on top of the gums, these dentures are anchored in place with small, strategically placed titanium posts. These posts fuse directly into the jawbone, mimicking the roots of a natural tooth. After a few months of healing, the dentures are attached to the top of these implants, completely rebuilding your smile.
By replacing teeth both above and below the gumline, implant-retained dentures provide a wide variety of benefits that can’t be achieved with their traditional removable counterparts. You’ll be able to enjoy nearly 80% restored biting power, a lifelike appearance, and no slippage whatsoever in your day-to-day life. The titanium posts also stimulate the jawbone as you chew with them, encouraging circulation and preventing bone reabsorption.
When choosing to replace your missing teeth, make sure to pick an option that ensures they look and feel their best for years to come. Talk to your Scripps Ranch dentist today to see if this state-of-the-art tooth replacement method is right for you!
About the Author
Whether you’re missing one, several, or all of your natural teeth, dental implants from Mod Squad Dental can restore your smile, confidence, and health. Dr. Greg Friedman is dedicated to using the latest advancements in dental technology to provide optimal oral health to the families of Scripps Ranch and the surrounding communities. Thanks to his years of experience and extensive training, he is able to perform every step of the dental implant process personally—no referrals to unfamiliar practices needed! If you’d like to see if full-mouth replacement with implant-retained dentures is right for you, he can be contacted via his website or at (858) 682-2394.
