How Does Diabetes Increase My Risk of Gum Disease?
It’s no secret that diabetes affects your entire body, but did you know it can increase your risk of gum disease? Read on to learn how diabetes can lead to gum disease and how we can help.
5 Benefits of Replacing Missing Teeth
Although routine dental exams and preventive services can help preserve your natural teeth, sometimes it’s not possible to save a permanent tooth.
Whether by accident or disease (like advanced gum disease), losing a permanent tooth isn’t an uncommon occurrence. Approximately 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth.
Thankfully, Dr. David Blaustein at Chelsea Dental Aesthetics in New York City offers both temporary and permanent tooth replacement solutions.
Replacing your missing teeth doesn’t just enhance the appearance of your smile (although that’s a big perk!), but doing so can also provide the following five benefits.
1. Increased self-esteem
Research shows that when you’re unhappy with your dental appearance, you’re more likely to experience low self-esteem.
Among the dental disorders linked to poor self-esteem, researchers noted malocclusion and tooth loss to have the most profound effect on adults and adolescents alike. Replacing missing teeth, therefore, can help improve your dental appearance and increase your self-esteem.
2. Improved speech
Depending on which teeth are missing, your speech can be affected profoundly.
You rely on coordinated movements between your teeth, your lips, and your tongue to make specific sounds, and if teeth are missing (especially your front teeth), your ability to form clear sound combinations diminishes. Replacing those teeth can help restore clearer speech.
3. Improved ability to chew thoroughly
Each tooth is designed for a specific task. For instance, your molars are intended to grind and mash your food. Without them, it can be hard to chew harder food like raw fruits and vegetables or meat. Replacing your teeth can facilitate an easier eating experience.
4. More defined facial structure
Without your teeth, your cheeks might appear sunken. This is especially true if you’re missing all of your teeth. Even if you’re not missing all of your teeth, your remaining teeth can shift and move into the space created by a missing tooth. This can also impact your facial structure.
Replacing your missing teeth can help restore your facial structure and prevent teeth from shifting into the gaps.
5. Stronger jawbone
Tooth roots stimulate jawbone growth, and without your tooth roots to stimulate your jawbone, it can stop growing. In other words, missing teeth increase your risk of jawbone atrophy.
It’s possible to lose as much as 25% of your supporting jawbone in the 12 months following tooth loss, and jawbone loss continues each year after that. The good news is that replacing your teeth with a dental implant can help prevent jawbone loss.
Note that dentures or bridges don’t stimulate your jawbone because they aren’t implanted into your bone. This benefit is specific to dental implants.
Know your options
If one or more of your teeth are missing, you have many restorative options to consider. Here at Chelsea Dental Aesthetics, Dr. Blaustein works with you to find the right solution to match your personal preferences and dental health needs.
Potential solutions include dental implants, fixed bridges, flippers, partial dentures, and full dentures.
To find out which solution is best for you, call us to schedule an appointment. You can reach our Manhattan office at 917-633-7312 or or book your visit online.
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