Unfortunately, even with the advances in dental care, many patients continue to battle tooth loss and decay regularly. In the past, these individuals only option was to get a bridge or some form of dentures. However, today’s patients can also opt for dental implants. 

Dental implants are advantageous to bridges or dentures because of their overall appearance looks more natural, and they function more closely to your natural teeth. 

 

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are used when you need to replace an individual tooth or teeth. A small titanium post is installed into them, and the dental implant is placed onto this post. The visible portion of the dental implant can be tinted to match the natural color of the rest of your teeth. In addition, because the implant is anchored into your jawbone, it won’t simply fall out, and it has the least effect on your diet of all the replacement types. 

 

Benefits of Dental Implants

  • Improved Appearance – Dental implants are designed to look and feel like your natural teeth. Implants are designed to fuse with the bone over time and become a permanent fixture in your mouth.
  • Improved Speech – Many patients with dentures complain about the poor fit or lack of suction to their gums. This slippage causes issues with a person’s ability to speak and can also be embarrassing if they come out at the wrong time. Dental implants don’t slip and allow you to speak naturally. 
  • Improved Comfort – Once the dental implants properly heal, you will quickly forget that they were ever installed with a medical procedure. Dental implants are designed to align with your existing teeth, and they feel similar too. Dentures often cause discomfort, and with constant removal and installation, they never feel like they are a natural part of your body. 
  • Easier to Eat – As dentures move around your mouth, they can make it a constant struggle to eat certain types of foods. Implants function just like your natural teeth. Patients can eat without having to worry about the placement of their teeth. This allows people to eat their favorite foods again with confidence in any setting, restaurant or at home.
  • Improved Self-esteem – Dental implants help you restore your smile to looking like it once did. Patients don’t have to worry about missing or discolored teeth when they greet friends or family. This translates into your ability to speak to others and not worry about them looking at issues with your teeth. 
  • Better Oral Health – Patients that have had teeth removed due to tooth decay or gum disease can rest better knowing that the problems have been corrected. Dentists will help you achieve and maintain a clean bill of health. Removing problem teeth also removes the bacteria that used to reside in them. Dental implants are more resistant to buildup and bacteria buildup than damaged teeth.
  • Durability – Dental implants can last for the rest of your life if you properly care for them. They are more durable than your natural teeth, and with regular care from your dentist, you can expect to be a problem and pain-free. 
  • Convenience – Dental implants don’t require all the additional steps that dentures take. Unlike dentures, they don’t require nightly removal and cleaning. They also don’t require you to glue them into place with specialized adhesives every day. This means that you care for your dentures just like you care for the rest of your teeth. This doesn’t add any additional work beyond your typical dental hygiene. 
 

If you have missing or damaged teeth, schedule an appointment with our dentist today and talk about your options. Call T. Merrell Williams DMD today at 813-517-0100.