How Dental Implants Can Improve Your Overall Health

Making the decision to get dental implants is one of the best steps you can take to improve your overall health. While many patients focus on the aesthetic benefits of dental implants and the beautiful, natural-looking smile they’ll have once the procedure is complete, what they don’t realize is that getting dental implants also has a long-term impact on their well-being. 

Here are some of the ways dental implants improve your health:

1. Dental implants prevent bone loss in the jaw.

Dentures and traditional dental bridges replace your missing teeth above the gum line, but only dental implants replace the roots of your teeth as well. When teeth are missing, it sends a signal to the body that the jawbone supporting them is no longer needed; through a process called resorption, your body begins to break down the bone and transport its minerals elsewhere.

By replacing the roots of missing teeth, dental implants stimulate the bone, preventing a loss in density and volume. This keeps your bite strong and prevents facial collapse, which causes a sunken, prematurely-aged appearance.

2. Dental implants lower your risk of gum disease.

Missing teeth also cause your gums to recede. Even if you replace your teeth with dentures and bridges, bacteria can easily build up under and around these restorations. 

Gum disease starts with mild symptoms like redness and inflammation, but it can quickly lead to serious oral health issues like tooth and bone loss when left untreated. By choosing to get dental implants, you can reduce the risk of gum disease and the damage it causes.

3. Dental implants help you eat a healthy, balanced diet.

Many of the healthiest foods for your body—fruits, vegetables, and proteins—are chewy or crunchy, two textures that can be difficult to eat when you’re missing one of more teeth. If you struggle to eat these healthy foods and substitute them with softer processed foods, it can cause weight gain and nutritional imbalances—not to mention the fact that a diet high in carbohydrates and sugars can set the stage for tooth decay.

4. Dental implants improve your self-confidence.

There’s simply no other restoration option that looks, feels, and functions as naturally as dental implants. If you have dentures now, making the switch to dental implants means you’ll never have to worry about your dentures slipping and causing speech issues, you’ll never have to pass on certain foods when you’re at a restaurant with friends, and you won’t have to worry about anyone noticing that your teeth aren’t your own. You’ll feel a weight lifted off of your shoulders when you no longer have to live with feeling self-conscious about your teeth.

5. Dental implants encourage better oral hygiene habits.

Dental implants give you a second chance to have a beautiful smile—and most patients take that seriously. We see that patients who have their oral health transformed by dental implant surgery take better care of their remaining teeth and restorations once the procedure is complete. 

The truth is, when you don’t feel good about your teeth, you might struggle to find the motivation to take care of them. Your new smile is the perfect motivator to get you to take charge of your dental health. Many of our patients have kicked the habit of smoking and gotten into regular exercise and improved diet once they have their mouth restored with implants. 

Learn More About the Health Benefits of Dental Implants

If you’d like to discuss dental implants with Dr. Sreeni, contact us today at 301-294-8700 to schedule an appointment.