Straight Teeth in Less Time
Three Reasons You May Choose To Have A Tooth Implant
Lois Murray
Getting a tooth implant is one option available to replace damaged, decaying, or missing teeth. Implants are viable options for when other treatments cannot be used, if they are deemed necessary to prevent future dental issues, or even for improvements to your quality of life.
Other Treatments Aren't Available
When an existing tooth requires treatment, there are usually several options available, from fillings and crowns to bridges and even dentures. What will work best will depend on your individual circumstances, but these options are usually explored before an implant is considered.
However, if none of these options will work for your tooth, then an implant may be the best alternative. This can happen if the tooth is damaged enough that the best course of action is to have it extracted completely. If this happens, it's a good idea to discuss replacement options rather than planning to extract the tooth and leave a gap.
An implant may also be the best option if you don't want to use any of the other options available and an implant ends up being a viable solution. If you aren't sure how well an implant could benefit you in your situation, talk to your dentist to explore your options.
As A Preventative Treatment
Having a damaged or decaying tooth in your mouth can cause a variety of problems, but having an unfilled gap where a tooth used to be can also cause issues.
To start, your teeth are always shifting no matter how old you are, and a gap from a missing tooth can cause your other teeth to shift, which could cause alignment and gum issues if left untreated. This can further lead to painful conditions like TMJ.
A missing tooth can also cause your jaw to be exercised unevenly. Since your jaw is kept healthy by constant stimulation from chewing, missing a tooth can cause issues with your jaw down the road.
Getting an implant sooner than later is a good way of protecting your mouth and your other teeth from various dental and muscular problems down the road.
Missing Tooth is Causing Speech or Eating Problems
Depending on the tooth you are missing or extracting, it can cause issues ranging from biting your tongue and cheek more often, having difficulty chewing food, and making it more difficult to speak. These, in turn, can be anything from a little embarrassing to painful and inconvenient.
While not usually urgent jaw-related problems by themselves, these should still be addressed by your dentist. An implant in these situations can improve your quality of life as well as act as a preventative measure for other more serious problems.
Share
I had braces when I was a kid. Back then, you had to wear those metal wires and rubber bands for what seemed like forever. When I saw that my child’s teeth were going to be crooked like mine, I was dreading the years of braces and orthodontist appointments and limited diets that I saw stretching ahead of us. I was pleased to find out that braces today are very different from braces when I was a kid. They don’t need to be worn for nearly as long, and they aren’t as intrusive, either. My daughter got braces that can barely be seen, and she can remove them when she eats, so she doesn’t have to give up her favorite foods. I was so impressed that I started a blog to talk about modern day tooth straightening techniques. Braces have come a long way.