Think oral implants are purely cosmetic? Health benefits they offer by our dentist at Buttercup

Whether you are 18 or 80, losing a tooth or teeth can be very hard.

Not only does it impact your appearance, but it can also create secondary issues with chewing, eating and cause movement of other teeth in your mouth.

In years gone by, the only options available for people who had lost a tooth or teeth were prosthetics like dentures or fitted and removable bridges. But, even for an older person, such things can often be uncomfortable and may move, exacerbating the already existing problem of embarrassment.

Luckily, in the last 10 years, the use of dental implants have become more common in dental surgeries. Affixed to your jaw and with a prosthetic crown placed on top of them, they offer a suitable and permanent fix for a missing tooth. Perfect!

At Buttercup 7 Day Dental, our dentist in Glasgow is proud to be able to offer our suitable patients dental implants. Of course, there are suitability tests that need to be undertaken before the fitting, but most people who are in good health are suited to these prosthetics. Once fitted, you can eat all of your favourite foods without issue or worries about your teeth moving in your mouth Perfect!

However, there are other benefits to having dental implants fitted too, which our dentist in Glasgow highlights below. Enjoy!

Preventive

As odd as it may sound, the process of having dental implants fitted can prevent secondary issues from occurring.

As our dentist in Glasgow will tell you, once a tooth is removed from the mouth, the gum line and jaw bone begin to recede, as it has nothing left to hold in place. As the bone moves, surrounding teeth often move too, creating orthodontic issues; as an implant promotes bone growth, this will allow all of your natural teeth to stay in place and prevent recession of your gums and jaw.

Better digestion

Our teeth are part of the digestive system and as such, if they are not able to grind food correctly, it can become harder to digest.

With missing teeth, you are more likely to swallow larger bits of food, which can lead to the stomach creating more acid, prompting issues like indigestion and acid reflux. Dental implants enable you to grind up even the toughest foods correctly, eliminating gastrointestinal issues caused by poor chewing.

Better oral health

It seems odd- how can a missing tooth or teeth worsen your oral health?

Gaps in your teeth can cause plaque to accumulate in harder to reach areas and, with exposed gums, plaque can also cause inflammation and gum disease. So, having implants fitted closes the gaps, prevents plaque build-up and lowers the chance of tooth decay and gum disease.

Improved nutrition

Nutritious foods are often harder to bite, such as nuts, fruits and vegetables, prompting people with missing teeth to eliminate them from their diet.

Oral implants restore strength to your mouth, you can eat what you want and have improved nutritional intake. Great stuff!