Implants Can Slow the Aging Process

Your smile and your eyes are usually the first things people notice about you.

With that said, it behooves us to do everything possible to keep our smile looking great. What you may not realize is there are other factors to looking great that require slowing down the aging process which you can actually help with implants. 

I'm actually talking about addressing one of the more common anti-aging mistakes people make by replacing missing teeth with dental implants vs. other less permanent solutions that actually speed up the aging process.

Since our teeth support our lips and shape our face, any missing teeth often trigger a cascade of events that that can impact far more than just your appearance.

Once teeth are removed, the bone structure that supported the teeth in that area is no longer stimulated and begins to erode immediately! Even if a replacement is made in a timely fashion there is still bone loss. This bone loss can create depressions in the skin causing a more “aged” appearance. 

Fixed bridges, removable bridges and full dentures are all methods of replacing teeth that do not prevent bone loss because they do not anchor into the bone. When bone is not used and stimulated, bone loss will continue unchecked—and the aging process accelerated. 

So if you have lost teeth and are concerned about further bone loss, what can you do? Look for an experienced and qualified Prosthodontist who can do dental implants which not only replace teeth but help maintain healthy bone levels because they anchor into the bone.

A famous dentist once said, “It is not only important to replace what is missing (the teeth) but to preserve what remains (the bone)”. It is important to place implants soon after removing the tooth because if the bone continues to erode sometimes there is not enough bone remaining to put an implant. 

Even denture patients (those that have lost all their teeth) can benefit from just 2 or 4 strategically placed implants that will definitively preserve bone height.

Today’s best Prosthodontists are aided by the latest Computer Guided Implant Placement which allow your specialist to plan the optimal implant positions from a 3D Scan of the patient.

If you have any questions or thoughts on the subject, please feel free to use the comments below and I'll answer as soon as I can.

by Dr. Barry A Kaplan

Visit: Kaplan Dentistry for more information.