Do you have a missing tooth or two? Or are you suffering from damaged teeth? Either way, consider investing in dental implants for your next dental restoration.
They don’t affect the other teeth like conventional bridges, keeping your natural teeth safe. And traditional dental restoration methods aren’t always suitable for everyone. Therefore, consider getting dental implants to restore your toothy smile and chewing capacity.
Read more to see the reasons why they reign supreme for missing teeth.
Why Should You Replace Your Missing Teeth?
Not only will missing teeth create a gap in your smile, but they can also harm your oral health. If you’re still unconvinced, here are more reasons why you should replace them:
- It can make you less confident. Those with missing teeth often feel embarrassed to flaunt their teeth in front of others.
- Increases risk of malocclusion. Missing teeth let adjacent teeth wobble from their position. That’s because they tend to move toward the gap made by the missing tooth. And this may lead to malocclusion.
- It can shrink your jawbone. Missing teeth may shrink your jawbone over time via progressive bone deterioration.
- It can affect your mouth’s functionality. You won’t be able to perform oral activities like biting or chewing food, talking, etc.
- Loosens sockets in the jawbone. Adjacent teeth may loosen due to the gaps, leading to more tooth loss.
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are the newest tooth replacement procedure mimicking an entire tooth structure. A dentist will insert a titanium root into your jawbone to support a crown (artificial tooth) later. And these implants appear, feel, and act like natural teeth, and — if well looked after — can last your entire life.
Thanks to their many benefits, many consider dental implants the best tooth replacement option for many patients. After all, which else can provide a solid support for your new teeth?
What are the Other Alternatives to Dental Implants?
Before delving into dental implants and their boundless advantages, here are the other dental restoration procedures you must know:
Fixed Bridge
A fixed bridge refers to a prosthesis cemented on an adjacent tooth. Dentists must drill down several adjacent teeth to support a fixed bridge. Although secure, it can damage the natural teeth, making it riskier than dental implants. Hence, fixed bridges only make for excellent options when your condition is unsuitable for implants.
Partial Denture (Removable)
Often made from metal and acrylic, partial dentures replace missing teeth like a retainer. Dentists hold them in place via metal wires or claps, hugging the adjacent teeth. And these are very visible when you smile, inflicting damage to your teeth over time. Hence, you’ll need to remove your partial dentures periodically.
You must remove your partial dentures during the day to clean them. And you’ll need to soak them overnight for thorough cleaning. Not only is it a hassle to look after, but the food you eat may get caught underneath the dentures, making it difficult to eat.
Denture
Typically made from pure acrylic, a complete denture replaces all missing teeth in one jaw. And though some learn to adapt well to dentures, not everyone can do it — with many finding them intolerable. Dentures resemble partial dentures in a way that you need to remove them periodically too.
Like partial dentures, food may get caught underneath, making eating difficult and uncomfortable.
But a unique downside to complete dentures is that they’ll become looser as your jaw shrinks over time. Hence, eating and keeping your food inside your mouth is more challenging.
Why Choose Dental Implants?
As efficient as traditional dental restoration processes are, here are reasons why dental implants outshine them:
They Prevent Bone Loss
Your natural teeth are embedded inside your jawbone and get stimulated via biting and chewing. But if you have a missing tooth or two, a part of your jawbone anchoring teeth inside your mouth (aka the alveolar bone) will not receive the necessary stimulation. As a result, you’ll gradually experience bone loss.
Dental implants have become the sole tooth replacement option that can mimic the stimulation, preventing bone loss.
They Can Restore Your Bite Force
Dentists secure dental implants into your jaw via titanium posts, replacing the tooth root. It’ll allow you to bite with the same force as your natural teeth can do. Older restoration techniques fail to restore your bite force since they sit on your gums and aren’t anchored.
They Maintain Your Face’s Natural Shape
Your teeth help maintain your face’s shape alongside your jawbone’s structure. And losing a tooth or two can affect that, making you look older. Dental implants, like natural teeth, can preserve your face’s original shape and overall look. As a result, your face’s natural shape will remain, preventing distortion.
They Help with Natural Speech
Conventional tooth replacement options like dentures impact your ability to pronounce words well. And missing teeth may affect your speech. You can save your natural manner of speaking by having dental implants, mimicking natural teeth, and allowing you to communicate well.
They Blend with Natural Teeth Well
Since dental implants come in various shapes and sizes, they match your natural teeth better than conventional bridges and dentures. You can consult a dental clinic to design implants to match your natural teeth, fitting the color and into the gap well. And with this, no one can distinguish which of your teeth are the implants!
They Remain in Place
Dentures can make users feel less confident about eating, speaking, and laughing. After all, they can shift or slip inside your mouth, impacting your daily life. You don’t need to worry about any of these with dental implants since dentists firmly anchor them in place.
They Support Adjacent Teeth Well
Gaps in your mouth made via a missing tooth might cause the teeth on both sides to move, leading to misalignment. Having dental implants placed lets you maintain the ideal teeth structure.
Easy Maintenance
Dental implants don’t require buying items like a special flosser or cleansing tablet to keep them pristine.
They’re Permanent
Traditional tooth replacement techniques like dentures need to get repaired or replaced often. But dental implants do not, as they’ve been designed to last a lifetime.
How do Dental Implants Work?
Dentists will follow a few essential steps when attaching dental implants to patients. And these include the following:
- Examine your mouth. The dentist will check your mouth thoroughly. And this will include conducting an X-ray to see if you can proceed with the dental implant procedure.
- Attach to the jawbone. The dentist will place the implant into your jawbone under the gum tissue during the initial phase. There, they will stitch them in place, where you’ll need to wait a few months for the tissue to heal and allow the implant to merge with your jawbone and gums.
- Abutment attachment. Once your tissue heals, the dentist will attach an abutment to the dental implant, connecting it to the replacement tooth.
- Tooth attachment. Finally, you get to customize your artificial tooth and have it attached to the abutment. This part will require several visits to the dentist to ensure a perfect fit.
Either way, consider dental implants to maintain your face shape, have teeth that blend with your original ones, and don’t have to worry about maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is getting dental implants the best move to replace missing teeth?
A: Replacing missing teeth with dental implants is brilliant as it’s durable and secure. After all, they’re structurally solid and reasonably priced. And these implants are better long-term as they don’t harm the surrounding teeth, safeguarding your jaw bone.
Q: Why do most dentists suggest dental implants to replace missing teeth?
A: Dental implants can replace a tooth’s roots, with some posts entering the jawbone. They do an excellent job keeping the false teeth secure, creating natural results. Moreover, implants fit better than bridges for most patients.
Q: Is replacing all my teeth possible with dental implants?
A: You can restore your mouth to its full functionality by replacing all your teeth with dental implants. They’re the modern standard of care for tooth replacement, regardless if it’s just one or each of your teeth.
Q: What are the main benefits of getting a dental implant?
A: Among the most notable advantages of dental implants is their ability to restore full chewing power. Many patients can’t distinguish between their original/natural teeth and the implanted ones. Hence, you can naturally eat and brush your chompers without noticing the implants.
Q: When’s the ideal time to get a dental implant?
A: The best time to consider getting a dental implant is when you have a missing tooth or two. But you’ll need sufficient bone density within the tooth gap area. And you should be in excellent health and can handle oral surgery without experiencing adverse effects.
Conclusion
Dental implants are structurally sound, last long, and don’t affect your other teeth while projecting your jawbone. And they make for excellent alternatives for those unsuitable for traditional bridges and dentures. Don’t hesitate and restore your missing teeth today with dental implants. But before anything else, discuss with your dentist if it’s viable for you to get them — and what your next best move would be.
