How Dental Implants in LaFollette Improve Your Oral Health
Missing a tooth affects your smile more than your whole mouth. When you lose a tooth, your jawbone shrinks, nearby teeth shift, and chewing becomes harder. If you’re considering dental implants in LaFollette, you’re looking for a solution that protects oral health instead of covering up the problem. At ACES Dental, Dr. Michael Lopez and our team help patients understand why implants do so much more than fill a gap—they keep your mouth healthy for years to come. Why Losing a Tooth Hurts More Than You Think When a tooth goes missing, your body thinks that part of your jaw isn’t needed. So it starts absorbing that bone back into your system—like how muscles shrink when you don’t use them. Over time, this bone loss changes your face shape, weakens your jaw, and lets other teeth drift out of place. You might notice your bite feels off or that chewing certain foods becomes tricky. Dentures and bridges don’t stop this process because they sit on your gums without reaching the bone. That’s where implants are different. How Dental Implants LaFollette Protect Your Jawbone Dental implants work because they replace the tooth root, not just the visible part. During a straightforward procedure, Dr. Lopez places a small titanium post directly into your jawbone. Your bone recognizes this post as something it needs to hold onto, so it grows around it and fuses tight—a process called osseointegration. This keeps your jawbone active and strong like a natural tooth root would. No other tooth replacement does this. Implants stop bone loss in its tracks and preserve the structure of your jaw and face. Patients often say they feel like they got their real tooth back, and in a way, they did. Keeping Your Other Teeth Healthy and Stable When you lose a tooth, the teeth next to that empty space start to lean inward. It’s gradual, but over months and years, they shift and tilt. This creates gaps, makes cleaning harder, and stresses teeth not designed to handle it. You might end up with bite problems, jaw pain, or even lose more teeth down the line. Dental implants LaFollette patients get at ACES Dental hold the space exactly where it should be. Your neighboring teeth stay put, your bite stays balanced, and you avoid a domino effect of dental trouble. Unlike a traditional bridge, which requires grinding down healthy teeth on either side, implants stand alone. We don’t touch your other teeth at all. That means more of your natural tooth structure stays intact and healthy. It’s a big deal when you’re thinking long-term. Better Chewing Means Better Nutrition When you can’t chew properly, you start avoiding certain foods—usually the healthy ones. Crunchy vegetables, lean meats, nuts, and fresh fruit become difficult or embarrassing to eat. People with missing teeth or loose dentures often switch to softer, processed foods that don’t give their bodies the necessary nutrients. This affects your overall health, not just your mouth. Implants restore nearly all of your natural
