If you have lost a tooth, you may be familiar with dental implants. You probably know that they provide stable and convincing restorations that you can treat just like natural teeth. You may also know that they can prevent a condition called the domino effect (further tooth loss), which sometimes occurs as the result of a lost tooth. But did you know that dental implants can improve the health of your jaw following a lost tooth? Your Erlanger dentist, Dr. Darlene Henry, explain how dental implants stimulate the jawbone below.

Tooth Loss and the Jawbone

Following a lost tooth, further tooth loss is not the only complication that may arise. The jawbone may also see a reduction in density. However, both of these problems share a common cause: malnutrition. When a tooth’s root leaves the jaw, the body no longer recognizes the presence of a living tooth, prompting it to cease nutrition of the area. Unfortunately, the lack of nutrients can also affect nearby teeth and the jawbone, resulting in complications.

Dental Implants and the Jawbone

Dental implants intervene on behalf of teeth and the jawbone because the body recognizes the presence of the implant’s post in the jawbone as a tooth’s root. Accordingly, it resumes the flow of nutrients, solving the problem of malnutrition. However, dental implants do even more to promote a healthy jaw. They also stimulate bone cells, which respond to the pressure of biting and chewing. When a tooth falls out, the bone cells do not receive the pressure, and the jawbone often loses density. The presence of the implant’s post in the jaw allows the transmission of pressure, and bone cells can once again receive stimulation, prompting greater bone density.

Dental Implants in Erlanger

Do you have a missing tooth? Dental implants can replace it and encourage a healthy jawbone. Schedule an appointment with your Erlanger dentist, Dr. Henry, today by calling our 41018 dentist office at 859-344-8500. We serve patients from Erlanger, Cincinnati, Crestview Hills, Fort Mitchell, Florence, Union, Independence, and Taylor Mill.