Missing teeth can be permanently replaced with dental implants, which can restore beauty and function to your smile. Dental implants function similarly to the roots of teeth by securely holding crowns, bridgework, or dentures in place. To be a candidate for this exciting tooth-replacement option, you must have enough bone tissue for placing the implants. Dr. Jennifer Kim and Dr. Kelly Peaks, the experienced dentists at Pender Dental Care in Fairfax and South Riding, VA, can determine if dental implants are a possibility for you.
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are small metal posts that securely hold replacement teeth in place. They are versatile and can be used with dental crowns, bridgework, or implant-supported dentures. Dental implants are situated below the gum line and are not visible once the prosthetic teeth are in place.
Dental implants are placed in bone tissue in the jaw area, which makes them extremely secure. The metal implants fuse to the bone over time so they will remain in place permanently. Candidates for this exciting tooth-replacement option must have enough bone tissue to support the dental implants. Unfortunately, tooth loss often leads to bone loss so not everyone who is missing teeth will be able to replace them with dental implants. The skilled dentists at our office Fairfax can determine if dental implants are an option for restoring your smile.
Benefits of Dental Implants
There are many benefits to replacing missing teeth with dental implants. Since they permanently bond with bone tissue, dental implants are extremely secure. There is no need to worry about your replacement teeth coming loose when eating or speaking. In addition to being a secure method for restoring your smile, dental implants also restore tooth functioning. Missing teeth can make it difficult to eat certain foods. Replacing those teeth with dental implants improves your ability to bite and chew different foods.
Another benefit of restoring your smile with dental implants is that many of the side effects of tooth loss will diminish. There is less support for facial muscles when teeth are missing, which can result in drooping or sagging of the face. Speech can also be affected if the tongue slips into the gaps where there are no teeth. Additionally, the remaining natural teeth can endure excess strain by compensating for the missing ones. By replacing missing teeth, dental implants help minimize or reverse these side effects.
Dental implants also have the benefit of preserving bone tissue, which can diminish with tooth loss. When there are no teeth for the bone to support, the body naturally reabsorbs the bone tissue over time. Placing dental implants directly in the bone helps prevent the body from reabsorbing it so bone tissue is preserved.
Securely replace missing teeth and restore your smile with dental implants. option. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Kim or Dr. Peaks to find out if you are a candidate for dental implants by calling Pender Dental Care in Fairfax at (703) 865-6880. Our South Riding office can be reached at (703) 327-2424.