The Symbiotic Relationship Between Your Bones and Your Dental Implants

Dental implants are one of the best methods of replacing teeth out there, and for one very good reason: dental implants exist in a symbiotic relationship with the bone in your jaw. In other words, the two of them support each other.

If you're wondering how your dental implants and jaw work together, then read on to find out.

Strengthens Jaw

The first thing you need to understand is that your bones aren't static. They don't develop their full strength and then stop growing. The bones are always recycling old weak cells and replacing them with new healthy cells. They do this through a process called osteogenesis.

Osteogenesis is partially stimulated by pressure. That is to say, weight or pressure on a bone causes it to grow stronger. This is a normal process and one that real teeth go through with your jaw bone on a regular basis.

Like real teeth, dental implants are capable of this, too. Dental implants extend down deep into the jaw, fully taking up the space that a real tooth used to in that place. Once your implants have fully healed and you're ready to chew on them, the implant will start to encourage the bone to grow new healthy cells by transferring the pressure of your bite into the bone. This is how dental implants support your bones.

Holds Implant

Dental implants don't just support your bones in a one-way street. The bones reciprocate as they grow stronger.

You see, at first, dental implants are just kept in place by your gums sealing up around them. But that isn't strong enough to support a dental implant fully. It's up to the bones to grow around the dental implant. Thankfully, during the osteogenesis process, this will happen. Think of it like when you grow a bone spur from something rubbing your heel too much - this is the same process, but an intentional version that's actually good for you.

Once your bone has fully grown new bone cells around the implant, the two can continue to work symbiotically for years to come. The implant will continuously carry pressure to the jaw, and the jaw will continue to replace worn-out cells surrounding the implant with new, strong ones.

If you're now convinced that dental implants are the best tooth-replacement method out there, then get in touch with a dentist today. Get the process started so that you don't lose any more bone cells from your jaw.