Dental implants

Dental implants provide many benefits compared with other tooth replacement options such as bridges and dentures.

Whether you’ve lost one or more teeth, implants will give you a better bite action, and, unlike bridges, involve no damage to adjacent teeth. Implants are also the only tooth replacement solution that prevents loss of jaw bone and deterioration of the facial structure.

Implants allow you to speak and eat as normal, and, being stain-resistant, do a great job in restoring your smile. Another advantage of dental implants is their high success rate. They boast an impressive record of long-term reliability and effectiveness.

A further benefit of dental implants is affordability. Hi-tech equipment – such as computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacture (CAM) – is putting implants within the financial reach of more and more people.

According to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID), half a million adults in the U.S. have implants every year.

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) summarizes the advantages of dental implants as:

• Durability.

• Comfort.

• Good appearance.

• High functionality.

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are the state-of-the-art tooth replacement system, with a success rate of up to 98 percent – the highest for any type of implant surgery.

A dental implant creates a synthetic tooth root after a small titanium post is surgically inserted into the socket of a missing tooth. Bone in the jaw re-forms around the implant and fuses with the biocompatible titanium.

When replacing a single tooth, a crown is fixed onto an abutment on the implant. Implants can also be used instead of dentures and bridges or as a support for a dental plate.

Different types of dental implants are available, including mini versions of the regular-sized implant. The mini implant procedure is less invasive and is typically used to secure removable dentures in the lower jaw.

Dental Implants Vs. Dentures and Bridges

Implant-supported overdentures and bridges provide a popular alternative to traditional dentures and bridges.

While conventional dentures and bridges may need replacing with time, implants provide a more permanent tooth replacement system because they become part of your jaw.

Another issue with dentures and bridges is that they can’t provide the stimulation jaw bone needs to remain strong. Like muscle, bone will atrophy without use. As a robust tooth root replacement, an implant resolves this problem and prevents deterioration of the jaw bone.

A further advantage of dental implants over dentures is that they give you a better bite function, with biting pressure as powerful as that of natural teeth. This means you can eat virtually anything you want to.

Unlike dentures, implants require no change to your oral hygiene routine – you simply continue to brush and floss as normal. Neither will implants slip out of place, so they avoid the issue of slurred speech that can result from poorly-fitting dentures.

With bridges, teeth surrounding the missing tooth have to be ground down to support the bridge effectively. This increases the risk of decay. Implants don’t entail modification to adjacent healthy teeth and help to stop surrounding teeth from shifting.

Crucial Role of Your Teeth

Teeth play a vital role in preserving the structure of your mouth and enabling you to eat efficiently and speak properly. However, tooth decay and gum disease take a heavy toll among people in the U.S.

• Many adults are missing at least one tooth.

• More than 35 million have lost all their upper or lower teeth, or both.

• 25 percent of people aged 65 or over have lost all their teeth.

The excess spacing resulting from missing teeth provides a breeding ground for bacteria and can impair your bite function and cause other teeth to shift out of position.

What Problems Can Dental Implants Fix?

Implants can fix multiple problems caused by tooth loss and can last for decades. They’re considered to have unique advantages in:

• Stimulating jaw bone growth.

• Supporting adjacent teeth.

• Providing a strong bite action.

• Restoring facial appearance and self-confidence.

Versatility is one of the many advantages of dental implants. They can:

• Replace a single tooth, several teeth or all your teeth.

• Support bridges, partial dentures and complete dentures.

• Be used in orthodontic treatment.

The development of dental implants represents a ground-breaking progression in dentistry, and implants are now widely used to help people of all ages who have lost teeth.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) says dental implants are the best tooth-replacement option for the present and the future.

How Dental Implants Can Restore Your Smile

Besides causing health problems, gaps left by missing teeth can be unsightly, and losing just one back tooth can bend your mouth out of shape and make you look older.

One of the key advantages of dental implants is their ability to restore your natural smile by preserving jaw bone to prevent the weakening of facial structure.

Prosthetic teeth secured by implants look and feel natural, and help to keep your jaw strong and healthy. They’re indistinguishable from real teeth, and resist decay and staining, giving you a sparkling smile as long as you maintain good oral hygiene.

Providing a permanent secure foundation for removable or fixed artificial teeth, dental implants can transform your smile whether you’re missing a single tooth, several teeth or all your teeth.

Unlike dentures, there’s no possibility of implants moving around in your mouth and spoiling your smile.

Are Dental Implants Right for Me?

Dental implants are the most innovative tooth replacement solution, and, according to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, they’ve become increasingly popular because of the reputation they’ve established for effectiveness.

Implants have now been used in the U.S. for decades and have been perfected and enhanced over a relatively short time.

Anyone healthy enough for a routine tooth extraction is usually suitable for a dental implant, provided you’re in good general health and your jaw is fully developed.

A dental office experienced in implants will be able to help you decide whether you’re a good candidate to benefit from the multiple advantages of dental implants.