When you have one or more missing teeth, you're more likely to suffer from poor self-esteem. Even worse, your oral health can be compromised. Fortunately, thanks to dental implants, there's a solution for missing teeth. An increasing number of people are discovering the benefits of dental implants. In fact, 3 million Americans have implants, according to a report from the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. Here are three of the main reasons dental implants are so important, along with a few considerations and warnings.
The Three Components of a Dental Implant
Simply put, dental implants, which resemble screws or cylinders and are constructed from medical grade titanium, are replacements for missing teeth roots.
They're designed to match natural teeth and are used as a sturdy base for either removable replacement teeth or permanent, fixed teeth. A dental implant consists of three basic parts, which include the fixture, the abutment and the dental prosthesis.
- The fixture, which becomes embedded into and fused with a patient's jawbone, is the artificial root of the implant.
- The abutment, which is the part of the implant lying above and at the gum line, secures and supports a crown, a denture, bridge or another type of dental work that is placed upon it.
- The dental prosthesis sits on top of the abutment and operates like an actual tooth. It may be snapped or clipped (for dentures), or screwed or cemented (for bridgework or crowns).
Prevents Remaining Teeth from Shifting
When you lose a tooth, a space is created, which leads to bone loss. Because of normal stress and oral pressures, the teeth that remain next to the gap start to shift. As a result, your straight, healthy teeth begin to slant, becoming unstable.
This problem can lead to further bone loss as well as losing more teeth. However, by filling in gaps with dental implants, these issues can be prevented.
Enables You to Chew Food Better
One of the primary reasons dental implants are so essential is that they allow you to chew food properly. Consider how chewing food the right way helps you to digest food better. The better food is digested, the better nutrients are absorbed into your body.
When you have dental implants, you can chew food the same way you would as if you had your regular teeth. Once you have dental implants, you can eat whatever you enjoy as implants are as close as it gets to having natural teeth.
Improves Self-confidence
Besides offering health benefits, dental implants are also important because they can give you more self-confidence. When you have missing teeth, it's easy to feel bad about your appearance and not smile. But once you've had a dental implant treatment, you can start feeling good about how you look.
Furthermore, dental implants can help to improve speech. Unlike dentures that can slip inside your mouth and cause you to slur your words or mumble, dental implants are secure, so there's no worry of your teeth slipping.
Considerations and Warnings
- Comfort is another benefit of dental implants.
- Dental implants are extremely effective with a success rate that's a high as 98 percent. Consider how the success rate varies, depending on the location on the jaw in which implants are placed.
- If you give your implants the proper care, they can last for a lifetime. Implant care is much like caring for natural teeth as it includes brushing, flossing, getting routine dental cleanings and scheduled checkups. Your dentist can suggest additional home care cleaning tips for keeping your teeth healthy.
- To be a candidate for an implant treatment, you must have an adequate amount of bone for supporting the implant and have gums that are healthy.
- Smokers should stop smoking one week before a dental implant procedure. What's more, they should not smoke for up to two months once an implant has been placed.
- Although dental implants don't affect bordering teeth, you may need additional surgery later once you have received an implant. This is to ensure the implant remains in place in the jawbone. Ask your dentist about the advantages and disadvantages, regarding this treatment choice.
Questions? Set up an appointment with Dr. William Linger. We're one of the few dental implant facilities worldwide offering Dental Implant Microsurgery.
By using a powerful surgical microscope, we're able to magnify an area, which minimizes the need for exposing larger surface areas for a longer period of time during surgery.
Another advanced tool we use is the X-Guide navigation system, which ensures the utmost accuracy in implant placement and success. Please contact us and learn more about our wide range of dental and cosmetic dental services.
