dental implants
Around 20 percent of adults are missing at least one tooth. Are you missing a tooth, or do you have other oral health issues?
Are you thinking about how to replace a missing tooth? If you want to replace this tooth with something that looks and feels natural, you may want to think about dental implants.
What Are Dental Implants? 5 Things You Need to Know
Wondering, what are dental implants and how they work?
Keep reading to learn more about dental implants and when you need them.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants replace the tooth roots and provide a strong foundation for replacement teeth. The teeth can be permanent or removable.
Dental implants are usually made of titanium. Titanium is strong, durable, and can fuse to bone over time. As your body heals, the bone cells attach themselves to the implant.
Dental implants are ideal for patients with missing or compromised teeth that have decay, periodontal disease, or injury. They can replace a single tooth or multiple teeth, including an entire upper or lower jaw of teeth.
1. Implants Feel and Look Natural
Implants look like your natural teeth. They are customized to feel, look, and fit like your other teeth. It is the perfect clone to your missing tooth.
Because it fuses to your bone, it feels natural and is secure. The crown that attaches to the implant is the part that looks like your tooth. Your dental specialist takes the time to make sure the color and shape fit precisely in that spot.
2. Implants Make Eating Easier
Unlike other dental treatments, implants are the most natural. Since they are secure like a real tooth, you can eat with them, unlike other options. Traditional dentures can slide and make it difficult to chew.
You also won’t feel any pain when you eat. Your bite force for eating is the same with dental implants as it is with natural teeth.
If you are hungry, you can eat and not worry about your teeth.
3. Implants Protect Healthy Teeth
With a missing tooth, a standard replacement is a dental bridge. This procedure involves cutting area teeth to ensure proper balance for the dental bridge.
You won’t have to worry about that with dental implants. The crown or a bridge is on the dental implant itself, and area teeth do not need to be touched to make it fit.
4. Implants Are Replacement Roots
When you lose a tooth, there is a space where the root was. Most tooth replacement options only focus on the tooth and do not address the root area.
Your teeth are anchored to your jaw to keep them in place. Implants make contact with your jaw bone. This encourages new tissue to grow around the implant to create a bond between the metal and bone.
Without an implant in the root area, you start to lose bone mass and density in your jaw.
5. Implants Have a High Success Rate
While the success rate varies based on the patient’s health, implants have a success rate of up to 95 percent. To help ensure this success rate, it’s essential to follow all the aftercare advice from your surgeon.
Time to Smile
Now that we’ve answered the question, “what are dental implants,” you are equipped to start talking to your dentist today to see if they are the right option for you. Ask about dental implants vs. crowns so you can get the perfect smile.
Looking for more health advice? Check out our site for articles to keep you and your teeth healthy for that perfect smile.
