Why Dental Implants Are Beneficial to Long-Term Oral and Mental Health

Missing teeth can affect your life in a number of negative ways. Of course, the obvious effects are that you will struggle to eat, and your appearance may change, especially when you smile. However, these aren't the only ways in which missing teeth can make your life difficult.

In the long term, missing teeth can lead to other issues, both oral and mental.

If you have missing teeth or are worried that you may be about to lose a tooth, getting dental implants can benefit both your oral and mental health in the following ways.

Dental Implants Preserve Bone Structure

The most important benefit of dental implants is their ability to stimulate bone growth.

This is a pivotal point because when you lose a tooth, for whatever reason, your body then considers the bone that once held the tooth in place unnecessary. Subsequently, within a few months, your body begins to take that bone and use it elsewhere in the body. This bone loss then changes your facial structure and prevents future treatments such as dental implants.

Fortunately, if you act quickly to replace a lost tooth with a dental implant, you can arrest, and then reverse, the bone loss. For instance, the titanium posts that act as a tooth root while holding the crown in place stimulate bone growth, and within 3-6 months, there should be sufficient bone to hold the implant in place.

Although that might seem like a long time, you do stand to gain several physical and mental benefits.

The Physical Benefits

Of course, you'll be able to enjoy your favourite foods more comfortably. This will make dining out more enjoyable and mean that you won't wear out your other teeth through overuse. You'll also be able to smile without worrying about concealing the gap in your smile. Instead, you'll be sporting a brand new crown that matches your natural teeth.

The one thing that all of these benefits have in common is that they are all good for your overall mental health.

The Mental Benefits

According to a recent study in 2015, 58% of people who have lost teeth struggle to come to terms with their loss. As a result, they could slip into depression.

However, if you replace a lost tooth with a dental implant, your social life will remain as it was. You'll be able to eat what you want and smile when you want with confidence. Naturally, this will make you happier and improve your self-esteem, allowing you to live a better quality of life.

Dental implants do cost time and money, but the physical and mental benefits they offer make it all worthwhile.