Do you suffer from a missing tooth or teeth? The inconvenience of losing something vital that aids us in eating, speaking and looking our best can be practically and aesthetically distressing. If you have missing or damaged teeth, you are not alone. Losing teeth either through an accident, neglect or sickness is relatively common with studies showing that 69% of adults aged between 35-44 have lost one or more of their permanent teeth.
Options to replace missing teeth
Ways to replace teeth that are missing were previously confined to three main choices. One option is to wear dentures which many patients report can cause slurred words, issues when eating certain foods and slippage especially when they are poorly fitted. Dentures will also wear down eventually and need to be replaced and they can be embarrassing for many people to wear as they are associated with the very old, although mostly younger people lose teeth in accidents, especially ones involving sport. The second option is a bridge. A bridge in dental terms is a false tooth (called a pontic) that is held in place by the abutment teeth on either side of the gap. The risks of using a dental bridge to replace missing teeth are that there must be a reduction of healthy teeth that are used to bind the bridge in place. The restoration is also at risk of collapsing sooner or later if the supporting teeth are not strong enough to hold them and the other potential issue with using a bridge is that it can hide decay of the tooth under the crown. The last and most unpopular way to replace missing teeth is simply not to replace them. This may work for some people who don’t care about their appearance especially if the missing tooth/teeth are back ones which are not easily noticeable but whose absence can make eating more challenging as the back teeth generally take the main load of the biting mechanism.This option however is harder to accept when the missing teeth are exposed and can make people feel distressed and socially unaccepted.
Dental implants the new way to restore missing teeth
Dental Implants are gaining in popularity as a great choice for people that want to replace lost, broken or damaged teeth. They are seen as a more permanent choice for replacing teeth and with a large success rate are a way to replace teeth and achieve a natural look as well as enable you to enjoy eating without worrying about the inconveniences of the alternatives of dentures or the risk of breaking a bridge.
What is a Dental Implant
Dental Implants are surgically placed in your jawbone, where they serve as the roots of your missing teeth. The titanium in the implants actually fuses with your jawbone ensuring that the implants won’t slip, make a noise or cause bone damage in the way that fixed bridgework or dentures might. Dental implants depending where they are done are however more expensive than other alternatives. They generally range in price from $3000 to $5000 per tooth. As a dental implant is now viewed as the next best thing to a natural tooth and has the ability to last a lifetime, the one off cost can ultimately end up being a much better bet both financially as the other alternatives will need to be replaced, sometimes more than once over the years. If you choose to have a dental implant, it is also important to seek out someone reputable to do the procedure to achieve the best outcome.
5 Advantages of Dental Implants
- Dental implants allow you to eat, talk, laugh and to feel confident
As dental implants when correctly done look exactly the same as your natural teeth, no one will ever know that they are actually an implant. You will not need to worry when you laugh or smile that someone will notice that your teeth are not real as can happen when wearing dentures. You will not need to modify what you eat, as your dental implant will be strong enough to withstand the biting intensity of foods such as apples, carrots and steak with ease. People who wear bridges are especially aware that a strong bite that goes awry could break or dislodge their carefully built bridge and land them straight back in the dentist’s chair. With a dental implant you can eat in the same way as you would with your natural teeth.
- Dental implants help to prevent bone loss
A common side effect that losing a tooth brings is the loss of bone mass around the missing tooth site. This occurs because there is no longer a root there to galvanize the strengthening of the bone known as ‘ossification’ The placing of a dental implant in your jaw bone stimulates new bone growth and helps to prevent future bone loss.
- Dental implants are long lasting
As previously mentioned dental implants with the right care, like your natural teeth also require, have the potential to last your whole lifetime.
- Dental implants have a huge success rate
Dental implants have a large success rate of approximately 98%. They work best when you do not smoke. If you do smoke it is advisable to give up smoking before you have a dental implant to increase its chances of success and longevity. As with any procedure the healthier you are prior to it the better the outcome.
- Dental implants enhance your appearance
We all like to look our best. Dental implants will enhance your appearance by giving you a natural looking smile. Studies have shown that people are judged on their appearance and also on the state of their teeth. Good looking teeth can make you look younger, healthier and definitely more attractive. By replacing missing teeth with Dental implants you will look your best and no one except yourself will ever know that you had missing teeth.