Dental Implants Are The Best Option For Missing Teeth

We all want to have a beautiful smile that we feel confident sharing with the world, but sometimes things happen that can cause tooth loss. Whether it’s an accident, injury, extraction or decay over time, many adults suffer lost teeth throughout the course of their lifetime and will require a solution to fill the space left behind. When teeth are missing, you may experience a loss of function, jaw bone density and even your confidence. This is why it’s so important to replace missing teeth.

dental implant

When you lose a tooth, you have several different tooth replacement options, such as dentures, a bridge or most ideally, a dental implant. Discover why dental implants are the most reliable, comfortable and attractive tooth replacement option.

  1. Implants maintain the facial appearance – When you lose teeth, your jawbone changes which can cause the supporting facial structures to appear sunken in. Dental implants can preserve your facial structure and keep you looking more youthful. The key reason for this is because dental implants maintain and preserve the jaw bone. Their presence prevents gradual bone loss, whereas other options do not.
  1. Implants look natural – Dental implants are the most natural-looking solution for tooth loss. Each implant has a crown (replacement tooth) created for it using a digital scan of your mouth. From this scan, measurements are taken to create the perfect size and shape of a crown. Once in place, your implant crown will blend in completely with the rest of your natural teeth, so no one can tell the difference between what is natural and what is not.
  1. Implants keep teeth in place – When a large gap is left after the loss or removal of a tooth, the remaining teeth begin to shift. Dental implants keep teeth in their proper position so this shifting does not happen. Nothing can compare with the security and stability of dental implants because the titanium implant post is secured under the gums, and fused directly into the jawbone. Once in place, and the crown is attached to the implant post, the adjacent teeth will not move.
  1. Implants preserve the jawbone and add reliability – Without a tooth root in the jaw, the jawbone will erode over time. A dental implant takes the place of the root to keep the bone present and healthy so it will not deteriorate. The implant provides security to your jaw and the rest of your teeth so you can bite down with full force, without worrying about any issues arising.

While dentures and bridges are good options, dental implants are superior in the comfort, durability and ease that you get. Here are a few reasons why you will find that implants are the best option of the 3 possible choices.

Dentures

Dentures tend to be uncomfortable, move around, fall out at times, make eating a challenge and can affect speech. Plus, they often require periodic repair and replacement. Though dental implant costs are initially higher, dentures eventually need more costly care and maintenance over time. An implant will not change your routine because it behaves and looks just like the rest of your natural teeth. Dentures, on the other hand, will impact your routine because you will need to adjust how and what you eat, and how you go about your day-to-day life.

Bridges

Bridges can seriously damage the neighbouring teeth around them because they are supported by the teeth directly adjacent to the space missing a tooth. Instead of being secured by a tooth root or implant, the space slated for a dental bridge is secured by the two teeth on either side of the space. These anchor teeth are shaved down in order to fit the bridge on top. Bridges can end up being an even more costly option over the long term as there is a risk of cavities affecting the bridge.

Oral Hygiene

Dental implants are cared for just like natural teeth. You simply need to brush and floss your teeth like normal and have them professionally maintained routinely by your hygienist. Dentures, on the other hand, need to be removed every night to be cleaned and soaked. Bridges are more difficult to clean as they are fused together in one long unit. Floss threaders need to be used in order to get under the bridge.

A dental implant requires more upfront financial and time investment but they are often the most convenient and affordable option in the long run. 

If you have missing teeth, chat with your dentist about the different options and what will work best in your unique situation.