Dental implants can do a lot for the way your smile works and to protect your jaw bone strength. However, the benefits don't stop there. If you've had dentures or a bridge for a long time and are about to upgrade to dental implants, here are three things, you can look forward to eating again for the first time since your initial tooth loss.

1. Thick Meat

Steak and pork chops are delicious, but they're not the easiest things to eat. Even when cooked gently and cut into tiny slivers, these meats require a fair amount of chewing in order to get through. Unfortunately, bridges and dentures don't do the greatest job at doing that.

Both bridges and dentures tend to be rather blunt and often lack the sharp edge that real teeth have. As a result, trying to chew through any kind of thick meat with traditional tooth replacements can be tough. Thankfully, dental implants make quick work of these things, as they're designed to work like real teeth in every way.

2. Sticky Food

Sticky food is a common problem for people who have dental bridges or dentures. The main reason for this is that if a food is sticky enough, it can actually yank out your dental installation. This is annoying if you have dentures, but it can mean a costly bill to repair your dental work if you have a dental bridge.

Dental implants are set in place with a strong titanium post that takes on the role of a tooth root. Once your dental implant is in place and the gums and bone have thoroughly healed, nothing is going to pull that dental implant out; not even the stickiest treat.

3. Sugar

Lastly, sugar is a treat that many people give up when their teeth fall out. There are a few reasons for this. One of the most common is just avoiding having more teeth develop cavities and fall out. Others might avoid sugary foods because they can get stuck under your bridge or dentures and cause gum disease.

Dental implants are permanent replacements, and as such, there's no gap underneath them for sugar to get trapped in where it can wreak havoc. Even better, dental implants are completely artificial, so there's no physical tissue to develop cavities. While you still need to take care of your teeth, simply flossing and brushing should be enough to mitigate anything the sugar could do to your new implant.

Dental implants are permanent solutions for missing teeth that are just better than bridges and dentures. If you have a bridge or dentures, you'll be reaping the benefits when you make the switch to dental implants. For more information on dental treatment options, contact your preferred dental office.