Dental Implants: 5 Things That Every Patient Needs To Understand
In the evolution of restorative dentistry, dental implants have established themselves as one of the best and most appealing innovations for those with missing or badly damaged teeth. At one time, tooth replacement was only performed with fixed bridges or removable dentures. Now, however, implants have made it possible for patients to get permanent replacements that look, feel, and function much like natural teeth. Best of all, these prostheses are securely attached via durable, titanium posts that have been surgically inserted into the jawbone. Not only do dental implants serve as a much easier-to-maintain and far more attractive solution overall, but they also provide a number of impressive and long-lasting benefits when it comes to ensuring continued oral health.
Dental Implants Take Artificial Teeth To The Next Level
During a dental implant procedure, an artificial tooth root is placed directly into the jawbone. Comprised of medical-grade titanium metal, this post is meant to support a natural-looking denture, crown, or bridge. Over time, this post will be grafted into the bone where it will be treated by the body much like a natural tooth root. In addition to providing a stable supporting structure for replacement teeth, this post will ensure that the area continues to be nourished by a robust supply of blood, oxygen, and nutrients, just as it was before tooth loss. As such, dental implants are currently considered to be the very best option in long-term tooth replacement. Source
How To Know If Dental Implants Are The Right Choice For You
If you have lost one or more teeth due to decay, normal wear and tear, trauma, or any other life factor or event, replacing this structure is essential for both maintaining your confidence and for preventing further tooth loss. Due to the very nature of implants, patients can look forward to attractive, natural-looking results that last a very long time. Before pursuing this treatment, however, there are five very important things that you should know.
1. Dental Implants Have An Impressive History Of Success
Whether getting implants that support single crowns, partial dentures, or full dentures, countless patients have experienced tremendous success with these treatments over the past several decades. There are a number of factors that can affect how successful these procedures are for every individual, including the patient’s dental health, the location of his or her dental implants, and the expertise of the professional responsible for treatment. Statistically, however, the success rate of dental implants averages at about 95 percent. In fact, some studies show that the rate of success may be even higher when dental implant specialists are in charge of these procedures.
2. You Can Get A Truly Natural Look And Feel With Dental Implants
Dental implants look and function very much like real teeth. These structures are specially designed to blend seamlessly into the remainder of the smile for a perfect fit and feel. If your procedure is performed by a dental implant specialist, the resulting structure can seem quite like a clone of the tooth that you’ve recently lost. Moreover, given that it’s incredibly stable, fused to your jawbone, and can be brushed, flossed, and otherwise cared for like your natural teeth, an implant can feel quite natural in every way. When you smile, this replacement tooth structure will be virtually indistinguishable from the teeth that surround it.
3. Eating Will Be Much Easier Once You Have Dental Implants
Implants aren’t like dentures when it comes to chewing. You can continue enjoying your favorite sticky, crunchy, and hot foods, without worrying about whether or not your teeth will come loose. In fact, no special care needs to be taken when eating at all. More importantly, given that a dental implant will complete your bite, you can look forward to having better-balanced bite forces and far greater efficiency in grinding your meals up. You won’t need to apply any extra effort or force, and you won’t have to worry about sensitivity or pain in the treatment area.
4. Dental Implants Effectively Replace Your Natural Teeth Roots
When a natural tooth is lost or pulled, the absence of the original tooth root creates a void. Dental implants are the only option in tooth replacement that go beyond merely replacing the tooth crown. This is a treatment that focuses on areas of the tooth structure not readily visible to the eye: the teeth roots. At this sub-level of the tooth structure, voids or spaces caused by tooth loss can eventually lead to unwanted movement of the remaining healthy teeth and a host of additional oral health problems.
Much like the natural teeth roots are anchored to the jaw, the titanium posts that support dental implants are grafted directly into the jawbone. As such, an implant effectively tricks the body into thinking that the natural tooth root is still present. The result is continued blood supply, new tissue growth at an around the implant, and a strong, natural bond between the metal and the local bone. Absent of this contact, deterioration of the jawbone in areas where tooth loss has occurred would be inevitable.
5. You Can Keep Your Natural, Remaining Teeth Healthy With Dental Implants
Beyond restoring your confidence, completing your smile, and protecting your jawbone against bone density loss, dental implants can also help safeguard your remaining natural teeth. They do so by properly balancing out bite forces to prevent disproportionate wear and tear in other areas. It’s also important to note that unlike dental bridges, there is no need to downsize or otherwise cut the surrounding teeth in order to implement this treatment. Dental implants make it possible to position bridges and implants on stable titanium posts, rather than sacrificing the health of nearby teeth to complete the smile.
The fact is that dental implants offer a long-lasting and highly effective way to replace lost or badly damaged teeth. These procedures support the ongoing health of the jawbone, and the health of the surrounding teeth. Moreover, they perfectly balance out bite forces, and without requiring any structural alterations to the surrounding tooth structures.
