Dental implants are one of the best methods of replacing missing teeth, but that's the only things that they're used for. If you are missing one or more teeth or know someone who is, you might be shocked to know that people who are missing teeth can age more quickly than those who have all of their teeth. Thankfully, dental implants can stop this from happening. Keep on reading to find out how dental implants can do this for you.

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are a permanent replacement for missing teeth. Unlike dentures and dental bridges, dental implants are much closer to the appearance and function of real teeth. A titanium peg beneath the implant keeps it firmly in place, like a tooth's root. Above that, a porcelain crown is attached that functions as your replacement tooth. With dental implants, you can have all the functionality of real teeth so you can talk, chew, and smile like you used to.

How They Maintain Your Appearance

Dental implants aren't just for helping you to eat. When you lose your teeth, your jaw loses something, too. Teeth help to maintain the strength of the jaw bones by sending the pressure of your bite down into the bone itself. This process encourages new bone cells to grow and maintains those that already exist.

Unfortunately, if you lose one or more teeth, this process is stopped. Bone loss will likely occur, and your jaw will become thinner, weaker, and make your skin look saggy and old. Even facelifts and skin tightening products won't help since the underlying structure is now weaker.

Dental implants imitate real teeth so well that they can help to maintain the jaw by transmitting pressure the same way that real teeth do. They can also help to bulk up a jaw that's already lost some of its bone density due to tooth loss.

What To Expect

If you're interested in dental implants, the process of getting them is fairly simple. Your dentist will examine your teeth and perform a cleaning. Then, the two of you will discuss your goals, and you'll be able to choose a color for your dental crown so that it perfectly matches your surrounding teeth.

If everything's ready to go, your dentist will put the titanium peg in place first. Then, you will be given some time to go home so that your gums and jaw can heal and form a tight seal around that peg. Once the healing process is complete, you'll be called back into the office to have the crown put on top of the peg. That's it! You're done and have a brand new tooth that will support and strengthen your jaw bone.

Dental implants can help to keep your jaw strong and healthy in addition to performing all the other standard duties of a real tooth. If you're tired of having missing teeth and don't want to age prematurely, you can discover more on dental implants here.