Eight Reasons To Consider Dental Implants
A great smile is a great asset that bolsters confidence and makes a positive impression on others. Unfortunately, the older you get, the more likely you are to experience natural deterioration that causes lost teeth or even lose teeth from an accident or injury. These things happen, but fortunately, due to modern dental techniques there are fast, permanent solutions to restore your beautiful smile to its former glory!
The most common solutions to these problems have typically been dentures and bridges. However, these options carry some significant drawbacks. For example, dentures can be uncomfortable, and they are sometimes inconvenient because of the extra maintenance involved in removing and soaking them in order to keep them sanitary. They also rest on the gums, not the jawbone, and this can cause discolored spots and discomfort due to pressure. A bridge requires filing down nearby teeth to anchor them (the bridges) better, which increases the possibility for cavities to develop and for plaque to build up.
A third option becoming more popular is to have an oral surgeon or a cosmetic dentist install dental implants. An implant is a titanium fixture attached directly to the upper or lower jawbone, upon which a custom-made replacement tooth made of metal or ceramic is screwed on.
Dental implants are preferable to dentures and bridges for many reasons, but maybe you’re not sure about moving forward with the process if a dentist has recommended them. Maybe you’re afraid of dental surgery because that part about fastening the implants to the jawbone sounds a little scary.
However, if you have damaged teeth and want a better smile, cosmetic dentistry to install implants may be the best route for you to take. We’re going to take a detailed look at why implants are a great choice and what benefits they provide.
Eight Reasons To Consider Dental Implants
Less Maintenance
Having dentures means you have to remove them and soak them to keep them clean, fresh and sanitary, and this also means purchasing additional cleansing agents. In addition, sometimes special bonding agents are required for proper adherence to the gums. With implants, the care required is the same as with your natural teeth: brushing and flossing. You also don’t have to worry about problems such as cavities and decay since they are 100% synthetic.
Permanence, Comfort, and Durability
Because implants are attached directly to the jaw, they don’t fall out, and they don’t become loose and wiggle around. If you take proper care of them, implants will last years longer than dentures will. In fact, oftentimes, they can last a lifetime. Since they are permanent, you don’t have to worry about losing them, either, and they never have to be refitted, unlike dentures. Dentures can also cause painful spots along the gumline due to pressure or ill-fit, a problem which implants do not share, as they fit just as naturally as your real teeth!
Stronger, Healthier Teeth and Bones
Bone growth and health are reliant on the pressure that comes from chewing. When teeth are missing, that pressure isn’t being exerted, and that can lead to erosion in the jawbone and to decay. With implants as permanent fixtures, that chewing pressure is restored, and it promotes the health of the jawbone and gums, which in turn promotes the health of your teeth. People with removable dentures commonly face problems with bone loss that can make dentures more difficult to wear over time and cause increasing discomfort. People with dental implants do not experience this problem, and there is far less worry about weakened bones leading to further tooth loss that negatively affects your smile.
Short Recovery Time
A concern that many people have about dental surgery is that of a long, painful recovery time. On the contrary, many cosmetic dentists offer painless dentistry procedures, and the recovery period after installation of implants is brief and easily manageable. With the right care, you will heal quickly and well and begin enjoying the benefits of a healthy, happy smile that will last for years to come.
Natural Appearance
Comparatively, implants have the most natural appearance. Because of the acrylic gums, dentures can be easy to spot, and once noticed it’s hard to “unnotice” them. By design, implants blend in with your other teeth, and sit properly on the gum line, just as your natural teeth do. In most cases, it would take an expert to notice that they aren’t natural.
More Specific and Versatile
Removable dentures usually replace an entire set of teeth. Sometimes, this requires removal of healthy teeth in order for a person to be able to wear them. Implants, however, replace only what is missing or unhealthy. Another appealing aspect of implants is that they are compatible with many other existing treatments. For example, you can use implants to anchor traditional dentures to the bone, which helps address some of the problems and inconveniences people with dentures experience. Implants can also anchor partial dentures.
Better Eating and Taste
When you eat while wearing removable dentures, you can find the process troublesome and unpleasant because of the lack of proper fixture to the gums. Chewing foods is much easier, and more enjoyable with implants. Implants are 80% as efficient as natural teeth are. By contrast, removable dentures are only up to 25% as efficient. People with removable upper dentures also commonly experience a reduction in the quality of food’s taste because upper dentures typically cover the roof of the mouth. With implants, this does not occur, and you can taste and enjoy your food normally. Furthermore, people with implants have more dietary variety they can enjoy. Many crunchy and chewy healthy fruits and vegetables such as apples, carrots, and lettuce are not compatible with dentures. Implants allow for you to enjoy the foods you love the most without ever having to worry about whether or not you should bite into that apple or crunch into a piece of celery!
More Economical Over Time
We’re not going to try to tell you that having implants installed is cheaper than getting dentures or bridges; it isn’t. However, implants can save you money over a longer period of time because they last longer than dentures do and avoid the long-term maintenance costs of other options. No glues, solutions or solvents necessary, just brush and floss as you normally would.
We’ve talked about some of the reasons implants make a better choice than bridges and dentures do for many people. Now consider some of the beneficial results you’ll experience and which others will, too:
Since implants are so natural in appearance, you’ll have your great smile back right away and can start flashing those pearly whites for all to see.
With that restored smile will come improved confidence. You don’t have to worry about being embarrassed by dentures loosening, moving, or coming out in view of your loved ones.
Dentures can also cause slurred or mumbled speech when they loosen up and slide. With implants, you’ll have the confidence of knowing that you can communicate clearly without anyone at the family function thinking you’ve had one too many.
Located on Market Street in The Woodlands, Dr. Carrie Muzny & Associates is an award-winning dentistry firm also serving the Conroe, Montgomery, North Houston, and Spring areas. We provide the highest-quality family and cosmetic dentistry including routine cleaning and care, restorative services like whitening and veneers, and minor surgical procedures such as extractions and implants. We offer painless sedation dentistry so your experience can be anxiety-free.
If you’re ready to learn more about how we can care for or restore your smile, and to determine if dental implants are right for you, please contact us today. To make things even easier, we have a wide range of options including calling, emailing, using a convenient online form, and even requesting a virtual consultation!
