A few years ago, I realized that I was thinking about dental care all wrong. Instead of listening carefully to my dentist and making the necessary changes, I assumed that he was ultimately responsible for making sure that my teeth stayed healthy. Unfortunately, I developed a few serious cavities because I failed to properly brush and floss my teeth, and I knew that it was my fault. I decided to start taking notes at my dental checkups and carefully abiding by the dentist's orders. The difference was almost miraculous. This blog is all about working with your dentist to improve your result.
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If you have missing teeth, you know how embarrassing it can be to smile. However, thanks to advancements in cosmetic dentistry, you don't have to hide your smile any longer. There are many ways to replace your missing teeth, but dental implants are the best choice you can make. If you aren't sure about dental implants, check out these five facts that will show you why dental implants are the best choice possible.
Dental Implants Are Made From Titanium
The term implant actually refers to the artificial tooth root, which is made from titanium. You may be wondering why that matters. The answer is osseointegration, which simply put, means that titanium fuses to bone. This is important because it allows the root to mimic natural tooth roots. Natural teeth are held firmly in place with a ligament. Once the tooth is gone, this ligament is gone too, but by fusing to the bone, the titanium root can copy the strength of this hold, ensuring your dental implant is solid and firm enough to withstand chewing and biting for years.
A Dental Implant May Never Need Replacing
Truthfully, dental implants aren't cheap. A single implant costs about $4250, and your dental insurance isn't going to pay for much of it (if any). However, a dental implant is a lifetime investment because thanks to the strong hold, with proper care, your dental implant can last the rest of your life. Dental bridges and dentures are a cheaper option initially, but even with good care, they won't last the rest of your life. Dental bridges usually only last 5 to 10 years. Even dentures won't last a lifetime. They'll need routine readjustments or relines.
They Don't Damage Surrounding Healthy Teeth
Dental implants only affect one area: the area that is missing teeth. However, dentures and dental bridges actually cause damage to healthy teeth. Dental implants cause damage from the start because they rely on surrounding teeth to work as anchors. The dental bridge has usually two crowns (one on each side of the false tooth), which are placed on the teeth next to the missing tooth. For the crowns to fit, the outer surface of the teeth must be filed down. Dentures also cause damage to healthy teeth because of the wires, which can rub against teeth, causing scratching and chipping.
Dental Implants Look and Work Like Real Teeth
High quality dental bridges and dentures can do an excellent job of looking like natural teeth. However, they don't work like real teeth. Dentures are removable, so they can slide, slip and fall out when you eat, talk or laugh. You may even have to avoid certain foods, and there is definitely a learning curve. The issues with dental bridges are less annoying, but they do exist. For example, you can't floss a bridge like normal teeth because the teeth are stuck together. You have to get special floss or flossers to floss under the bridge. These issues don't exist with dental implants.
They Even Work for Multiple Missing Teeth
The best thing about dental implants is that you can use them to replace one or more missing teeth. Single dental implants are perfect for one or two missing teeth, but if you have several missing teeth in a row, a more cost-effective option is to get an implant-supported bridge. You get all the benefits of an implant, but the implant-supported bridge uses less implants, so a four tooth implant-supported bridge is cheaper than four single implants. Similarly, if you have all of your teeth missing, you can opt for implant-supported dentures. They are still removable, but they snap into place, so they won't move.
There's no reason to walk around with missing teeth. If you have healthy gums and are tired of hiding your smile, you need to consider dental implants. For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact a dentist in your area today. For more information, contact a business such as Gordon Dental.