The most urgent reason people choose to get a dental implant is because they’ve lost a tooth to injury or decay in the front of their mouth. Dental implants are a great solution for missing teeth that are clearly visible. However, many patients we’ve worked with have neglected dental implants when it comes to teeth toward the back of their mouths mostly because they’re less visible.
Because most dental insurance plans don’t cover the full cost or any of the cost of dental implants, its usually a cost-saving measure not to have implant surgery on missing molars and premolars. If you’re able to afford dental implants on these back teeth, here are three reasons you should, even though they aren’t as visible as incisors or canine teeth:
Dental Implants Help Stop Teeth from Shifting into Missing Space
As you age and develop into adulthood, your teeth push up against each other and create pressure. This pressure holds your teeth in place and allows your gums, jawbone, and other supporting structures to develop into a good formation for biting and chewing your food. When teeth are missing, the lack of pressure causes your jawbone and other teeth to gradually shift. Shifting in the spaces from missing teeth toward the back of your mouth can cause profound effects in more visible places toward the front. A dental implant post, abutment, and crown help apply the same pressure as a normal, healthy tooth and keep your teeth from moving when they shouldn’t.
Dental Implants Prevent Jawbone Loss
In addition to their function in your speech and eating, your teeth also help prevent the loss of your jawbone density. When you chew food, tiny amounts of force get exerted on your jawbone. Via your tooth roots, these tiny bursts of force send important signals in your body to reinforce your jawbone and keep it strong. When you’re missing teeth, even in the back, the absence of these important signals cause your jawbone to atrophy and lose density through a process called reabsorption. A dental implant post essentially serves the same function as your tooth root and help keeps your jawbone healthy and strong.
Dental Implants Help Protect the Health of Surrounding Gums and Teeth
One of the many unfortunate side effects of a missing tooth is that it exposes the surrounding teeth to a much higher risk of decay. After you’ve been missing a tooth for a while, the resulting loss of jawbone density causes the gum tissue in the empty space to sink, pulling the gumline down with it on the surrounding teeth. This can expose the root portion of the tooth in some cases, which doesn’t have nearly the same protections against decay as the tooth crown. A dental implant post helps prevent jawbone reabsorption and supports a good, healthy gumline.
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Consider having a dental implant, even if it’s for a tooth that wasn’t visible before you lost it. If you enjoy our blog, please drop by and like our Facebook page to see when we share the newest posts!