Your teeth affect your entire body. When they’re healthy, you’re healthier too. A missing tooth can affect your smile, bite, speech, and eating choices. As you rely more on your remaining teeth, you increase the chance they will wear out prematurely, be damaged, or lost. You may also experience headaches and/or jaw pain.

Who would want their appearance and health to deteriorate? That’s the natural consequence of missing teeth – the jaw literally melts away. Generally, people will lose 30-50% of their supporting jawbone structure within the first year after tooth loss. Over time, the jawbone deteriorates even further. Dental implants are more easily placed closer to the time when teeth are first extracted because there is more supporting bone present.  Bone regeneration becomes more complex as time passes. The great news is that implants fucntion very similar to your natural teeth. They safeguard and preserve your bone structure, oral health, and appearance. Your periodontist will provide you with options so that you can make the most informed decision concerning tooth replacement.