Replacing the roots

Replacing the roots

by | Jan 4, 2022

When it comes to tooth loss, until not so long ago there was no way to replace the root of the tooth. People had to get by with just replacing the crowns, either with a removable denture or with fixed bridgework. It wasn’t ideal, but it was all we had. Not any more though. Now you can replace the entire tooth with dental implants in Erskineville at Healthy Smile Centre.

Not having a root to your tooth may not seem like such a big deal as long as you have got crowns to chew, bite and talk with, but in fact, tooth roots are vital for two good reasons.

Stability

Our natural teeth are anchored into our jawbone with fibres that hold them so securely that they can withstand incredible amounts of chewing force without budging. This allows us to eat a wide and varied diet, including vital sources of nutrients such as crunchy veggies and fruits, chewy proteins such as steaks and nuts. Having stable teeth also allows us to speak clearly as we use teeth to enunciate certain sounds.

Dentures only give about 25% of our natural chewing power, making it harder to break down such foods. That’s why it’s not uncommon for denture wearers to end up on a soft food diet.

Having teeth anchored in the jawbone also avoids the embarrassment of having them wobble around on your gums, which is what can happen with dentures. There’s a reason why this happens and that’s the other good reason why tooth roots are so vital. Dental implants in Erskineville can withstand just as much chewing force as natural teeth, so you get to keep your food choices.

Jawbone size and density

Every time your teeth come together (hundreds of times a day), the vibrations from the impact go down into the surrounding bone cells, telling them you are still chewing away, and they renew themselves. When those vibrations stop, your jawbone doesn’t just sit there doing nothing, it starts to dissolve itself, losing up to a quarter of its size and density in one year alone after tooth loss. Having dental implants in Erskineville helps you hang onto your strong, healthy jaw and avoid looking old prematurely.