Dental implants restore the appearance and function of missing teeth using prosthetics. The implantation process requires oral surgery, which can make some people wary. However, the process is safe and painless. If you're still unsure whether dental implants are a good choice to replace your missing teeth, more information can help you make up your mind. Here are four reasons you should get dental implants:

1. You want to preserve your jawbone.

Bone health is important, especially as you age. Many people lose bone density over time, although this effect is particularly pronounced in women. Your jawbone holds the roots of your teeth in place. When a tooth is extracted, there is a vacancy left where the roots and nerve used to be. If something isn't used to fill this space, like a dental implant, that area of your jaw will eventually atrophy. This can lead to unwanted changes to the contour of your face. Dental implants are an important tool that can be used to protect the health of your facial bones.

2. You don't like the hassle of wearing dentures.

For many, dentures are the simplest method of tooth replacement. Full of partial dentures can be used to allow patients to chew and smile when they're missing their natural teeth. However, dentures must be applied and removed each day. Special supplies are needed to use and maintain dentures, including denture cleaner and dental adhesive. For some people, dentures are too much of a hassle. Dental implants require more dentist appointments upfront, but once they are implanted in your jaw, they are there to stay. Dental implants can seamlessly become part of your life, requiring no special care or consideration once they're totally healed.

3. You're missing multiple teeth.

Dental implants can be used to replace a single tooth, but they can also replace areas of missing teeth. If you are missing multiple teeth that used to be adjacent to one another, a dental implant is an economical choice for tooth replacement. A partial denture containing two or more prosthetic teeth can be attached to a single dental implant. This technique reduces your cost and healing time.

4. You don't want to impact your healthy teeth.

Dental implants can preserve your surrounding teeth. Since prosthetics are attached to the implant itself, dental crowns are unnecessary. This means your dentist will not need to shave enamel off healthy teeth for shaping purposes, as they need to during dental bridge procedures.