Replacing lost teeth is about restoring your quality of life and confidence. The ability to bite, chew, and speak properly is largely dependent on a full set of healthy teeth, or adequate replacements for those that are missing. Since your teeth are meant to withstand the everyday pressures of biting and chewing, their replacements require a strong foundation to support the same pressures. As your Lafayette dentist, Dr. Michael J. Young, explains, dental implants are the only option that can provide your replacement teeth with a supportive foundation that mimics your natural teeth’s root-and-crown structure.
Steadying Your Replacement Teeth
Conventional replacement teeth, like dental bridges and dentures, involve discrete clasps, special adhesives, and the support of existing teeth to hold them in place. By contrast, dental implants are surgically inserted into your jawbone, which fuses to the implants’ titanium surfaces through a process called osseointegration. Once healed, your new prosthetic tooth roots can serve as anchors for your replacement teeth to keep them steady and secure while you eat, speak, and smile.
Preserving Your Jawbone’s Integrity
Firmly placed teeth aren’t the only benefit to replacing lost tooth roots. Your jawbone, which holds the roots of your teeth, depends on an adequate supply of nutrients to sustain your teeth. The stimulation from biting and chewing signals your body to send your jawbone the nutrients that it needs, and when roots are lost, this supply diminishes. The resulting nutrient deficiency often causes your jawbone to deteriorate, leading to facial collapse and the loss of more teeth. However, replacing these roots with one or more dental implants can help restore the stimulation and preserve your jawbone’s strength, increasing the chances of retaining the rest of your natural teeth.
Replace Your Lost Teeth with Dental Implants in Lafayette
If you’ve lost one or more teeth and would like to learn how dental implants can help restore and preserve your smile, then schedule an appointment with your Lafayette dentist by calling Dr. Young at (337) 237-6453. Located in the 70508 area, we proudly serve patients from Lafayette and all surrounding communities.
