3 Reasons Why Dental Implants Should Be Your First Choice to Replace Lost Teeth
If you had your choice between two cars, which one would you choose? You would choose the one that you knew the most about, right? What if you knew the same amount about both of them, then what? It would come down to which one fit your needs more fully. In the world of dentistry, dentures are the car that you probably know everything about. It is the comfortable, familiar, and all-around safe choice. You know what you are going to get from dentures and what you aren’t going to get from them, and you’re okay with that. But what if you found out there was another option out there? If you’d heard stories that it may be better and could give you all the things that dentures couldn’t, would you be interested? That’s why we are here to tell you about what dental implants can do for you that dentures cannot.
What Are Dental Implants?
Where people get a little confused about dental implants is in what they actually are. Many people think that they are replacement teeth, and that is not entirely accurate. A dental implant is a replacement tooth root. A replacement tooth (crown) is placed on top of an implant to make your full replacement tooth. Now that you know what a dental implant is, we can look at why implants should be your choice over dentures.
3 Benefits of Implants vs Other Treatments
There are more than three good things about dental implants, but in the grand scheme of things, there are three reasons that stand head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to making a decision about whether implants are right for you.
Stability (osseointegration) – The first reason that dental implants should be your dental replacement choice is the stability the implant provides. Like we said earlier, a dental implant is a replacement tooth root. Now, this is partly because they are in the same place and perform the same basic function as a natural tooth root. But a dental implant doesn’t just take the place of the root – a naturally occurring process called osseointegration actually bonds the implant with the bone in your jaw, like a natural tooth root. Osseointegration is a unique aspect of the titanium that we use in dental implants. The word literally means to become part of the bone. This aspect of titanium was discovered by accident, and it is the main reason behind the stability that you will enjoy with dental implants.
Bone health (prevents bone loss) – One of the biggest problems that people who have lost their teeth face is a breakdown in the bone structure of their face and jaw. Their jaw shrinks, and this prunes their face around their mouth. The reason for the bone breaking down is that there is nothing in the jaw to fill the open spaces that are left when you lose your teeth and the roots that were filling those spots. Dental implants fill those spots and keep your jawbone from shrinking. Now, there are times when someone will need additional work to be able to have a dental implant inserted. This could be something like a sinus lift or bone graft. These procedures are meant to build up the bone mass in the area. Dental implants are effective in protecting the new bone growth as well as your original bone growth.
Versatility (single tooth to All-on-4 and All-on-6) – Dental implants may be your choice because they do not exclude you from using dentures. They can actually enhance your denture experience. Of course, they are great for single tooth replacements with crowns, but with the advent of implant-retained and implant-supported forms of dentures, your dentures will now be just as stable and your jawbone just as protected as they would be if you had never lost your original teeth.
All-on-4 and All-on-6 don’t use a denture but rather a full-arch restoration (bridge) to similarly replace a full arch of teeth. The All-on-4 method consists of four dental implants that are placed in your jaw, with two in the back at an angle. Your denture is then supported by those dental implants. This protects your jawbone and gives you superior stability. The All-on-6 method is the same as the All-on-4, but with two additional implants. Your dentist at Hellertown Dental Group will be able to help you choose the option that is right for you.
Hellertown Dental Group in Hellertown, PA is ready to help you make the right choice when it comes to the replacement option for your teeth. Call our office today at (610) 838-0131 to schedule your consultation. You can use our online form to schedule your appointment also. One of us will be happy to get in touch with you as soon as possible.
