There are many potential ways that a person could lose one or more of their teeth. Whether this is due to injuries or disease, the loss of a tooth can be a very troubling experience for a person to go through. After experiencing this loss, a person may look at various tooth replacement options, and while there may be a few different solutions to this problem, dental implants can be among the most popular due to the advantages that they can provide. 

Cosmetic Restoration

Fully restoring your appearance after the loss of a tooth can be an important goal. Dental implants can be among the most effective options in this regard as most individuals will find that it can be extremely difficult or even impossible for others to be able to identify the tooth that was replaced with an implant. In contrast, dentures and bridges may not be as discrete due to the fact that they will simply rest on the surface of the gums.

Minimizing Gum And Bone Atrophy

One factor that individuals may not consider when they have suffered the loss of a tooth is the fact that they may experience gum and bone atrophy. This occurs due to the loss of support that occurs when a tooth is lost. Over time, this can lead to substantial weakening and degradation of the gums and the jawbone. Unfortunately, other tooth replacement options will be unlikely to minimize these issues, which could greatly increase the risk of substantial complications developing in the future. However, dental implants will be able to mitigate these challenges as the implant will be placed in the jawbone, which can allow it to provide additional support.

Restoring Oral Functionality

In addition to the major cosmetic issues that the loss of a tooth could create, it is also possible for this to cause considerable functionality problems for the patient. Depending on the tooth that was lost, a person could find that their ability to speak or chew may be increasingly difficult. The placement of a dental implant can help to mitigate these problems so that your oral functionality can be restored. For most patients, there will be little to no adjustment period after the dental implant placement procedure has been completed. In contrast, dental bridges can take patients several days to weeks before they feel like a normal and natural part of their mouth, which can lead to them having more challenges when adjusting to speaking or eating with this dental device.

Contact a local dentist's office to learn more about dental implants.