After a tooth has been lost, many patients choose to replace it with a dental implant. There are a lot of ways to replace a tooth, but getting a dental implant comes with its own set of benefits- and there are a lot of them. Getting a dental implant is right for many patients, but not everyone is a good candidate for them. If you want an implant, you may need to undergo another procedure first in order to have enough bone to hold onto the implant. Once you have enough bone, the implant can be placed, and you will have a brand new tooth replacing the natural one.
You Get Back Your Bite Force
When you lose a tooth and replace it with a restoration method like a denture or bridge, you don’t get back the full bite force that you had with the natural tooth. Getting a dental implant restores all of that bite force. It is anchored into the bone with a titanium post, so it is strong enough to give you that force back. When you use your dental implant to bite and chew, it feels like your own tooth that is as strong as your other ones.
It Keeps the Bone in Place
When you have a missing tooth, the bone that once held a tooth in place can start to deteriorate, allowing areas of the bone to be lost. The jaw requires getting stimulation from the teeth to be able to hold onto their mass. When you get another type of tooth replacement, it doesn’t stimulate the bone at all and simply sits on top of the gums. But with a dental implant, the post is implanted into the bone to give it the stimulation it needs to stay intact. This can affect the way the contours of your face look as well as the way your smile looks. For patients who don’t want the shape of their face to change, getting a dental implant can be a great choice.
They’re a Perfect Match
When you get a dental implant, the crown is the part that you see above the gums, and it’s the only part of the implant that people will see. This section is a crown, and it’s made to fit in well with the rest of your teeth. It is created to match the shape of the tooth you lost, and it will be the same color as your other teeth. The texture of a crown is also made to perfectly match the look of natural teeth. When you have a dental implant, no one will be able to tell.
You Can Talk Naturally
There are some methods of replacing teeth, such as dentures, that can change the way you are able to speak. They can make it difficult to pronounce words, and they may make it harder to communicate. The same is true for having missing teeth and not replacing them. With dental implants, you can talk naturally, and it’s no harder than if you had your natural tooth there. There is no change in speech patterns, and many patients want to choose implants for this very reason.
They Won’t Slip or Fall Out
Dentures are a common way to replace teeth, but they can allow for embarrassing situations. Many people who wear them are worried about them slipping or falling out. They can be visibly moved while eating or talking, etc. When you have a dental implant, there’s no reason to worry about movement. They are anchored with the bone, so they aren’t going anywhere. They will not fall out, and they won’t slip or otherwise shift.
You Can’t Get Cavities in Them
When you have a dental implant replacing a tooth, you may forget which of your teeth is the implant. However, you can’t get any cavities in the implant. The substance that the crown is made from won’t decay and is not vulnerable to cavities. And, your implant is made to generally last you for the rest of your life. It’s made to permanently replace a tooth and won’t need to be taken out and cleaned like some other tooth replacements.
It’s Easy to Take Care of Implants
You know to brush and floss your teeth daily, and it’s no different to take care of your implant. It is brushed and flossed along with all of your other teeth. It doesn’t require any special care to keep them clean and in good condition.
If you have a missing tooth, getting a dental implant is a great option for replacing it. If you want an implant, you will need a dental consultation to find out if you are a good candidate for one. And if you aren’t, there are ways that the situation can be treated so that you become one. Contact DFW Oral Surgeons if you need a consultation about getting a dental implant.