Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants are the best tooth replacement option. That’s because they offer many benefits you don’t get from other choices. Benefits include:
- Enjoy all your favorite foods
- Have an attractive smile
- Support jawbone and healthy gums
- No damage to neighboring teeth
- Easy maintenance
- Can last a lifetime
They are revolutionary because they are tooth replacements that are fully fixed in your jawbone. Because they’re attached to your jawbone–similar to natural teeth–they let you eat all the same foods you enjoyed with your natural teeth.
Dental implants don’t just plug the hole in your smile, they give you a completely natural-looking replacement. The implant isn’t attached to neighboring teeth or to a plastic base–they sink right into your gum tissue just like natural teeth. They can be almost indistinguishable from your natural teeth.
Unlike dentures and dental bridges–which rest on top of your gums–dental implants go into your jawbone. This not only supports the implant, it stimulates the jawbone. This prevents your body from removing bone, as it normally does after a tooth is lost. With the jawbone supported, your gums will stay at a healthy level, too.
Because they support themselves, they don’t cause any damage to neighboring teeth. Partial dentures and dental bridges rely on your natural teeth for support, and sometimes this can damage them, even lead to their loss.
They don’t require any special care. Just brush, floss, and make regular dental appointments. The flossing may be a little different, but you’ll get the hang of it after a little practice.
Like your natural teeth, they can last for a lifetime if properly cared for. Twenty- and thirty-year scientific studies report a 93-100% survival rate. The first dental implant recipient passed away over 40 years after getting his implants. They were all still in place. The second person to get dental implants still has them, more than 50 years later.
Are You a Candidate for Dental Implants?
Another good thing about dental implants is that almost everyone is a candidate. There are only three absolute restrictions on who can get them:
- Have one or more missing teeth
- Have a mature jawbone that has stopped growing
- Be in good health for surgery
If you meet all those requirements, you can get dental implants. In some situations, we may have to talk about restrictions. For example, if you have active gum disease, we may want to resolve your gum disease before you get implants. If you don’t have enough bone at the planned implant site, we might want to perform a bone graft before placing your implants. If you are a smoker, we recommend that you quit. At a minimum, you should quit for a few months before and a few months after surgery. This will help your bones heal and reduce your risk of implant failure.
Make sure you talk to your doctor about your medications, as some of these can impact your success rate. Antidepressants are a common medication that can affect your dental implants. A good healthy diet can also improve your success rate.
Do you want to learn whether you’re a good candidate for dental implants? Please call 940-322-2252 or contact us today for an appointment with an implant dentist at StarImage Dentistry in Wichita Falls, TX.
