Tooth loss isn’t pretty, for many reasons. Not only do missing teeth make your smile look incomplete, unattractive, and unhealthy, they can actually have a serious negative impact on your oral health and your general health. In fact, current research suggests a close link between missing teeth and a range of serious health problems like cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Luckily, if you have one or more missing teeth, you have the option of having it replaced with a dental implant, a type of dental prosthetic that closely resembles a natural tooth. You’ll definitely want to talk to your dentist about replacing that missing tooth after reading about these five benefits of dental implants.

1. Healthier Smile

A missing tooth can prompt a domino-like effect in the mouth. When that tooth is lost, the jawbone surrounding the missing tooth will begin to atrophy and the neighboring teeth will begin to shift. These processes dramatically increase the risk of further tooth loss. Replacing that tooth with a dental implant stimulates healthy jawbone density and supports the proper spacing of your natural teeth.

2. A More Attractive Smile

It’s no secret: missing teeth are seriously unattractive. A missing tooth can make others perceive you as older, unhealthier, less professional, and less attractive than you feel. Replacing that missing tooth with a dental implant will restore the appearance of your smile (and maybe even improve it!).

3. Healthier Jawbone

As we said before, when you lose a tooth the bone that once held it in place begins to atrophy. This happens because the body stops sending vital nutrients to the area. A dental implant consists of an titanium tooth root capped with a dental crown (or bridge or denture plate, depending on your needs). The root portion is implanted in the jawbone, where it stimulates the delivery of calcium and phosphate, nutrients vital to good bone health.