Nobody wants to join the more than half of US adults over age 20 who’ve lost at least one tooth. Whether you’re missing a single tooth or multiple teeth due to an injury, illness, or tooth decay, you want to replace them to improve the look and function of your smile. And although you can’t get your teeth back, dental implants are the next best thing.
The expert dentists at The Dental Studio in Summit and Westfield, New Jersey, recommend dental implants for anyone with healthy gums and bones who needs to replace missing teeth. Custom-designed implants look and feel so natural that even you may forget they’re a replacement. Here’s why there’s never been a better option for tooth replacement.
Implants are made of porcelain or composite materials that have a natural translucence, so light bounces off of them and shines through them just as with your natural teeth. Each implant is shaped like an individual tooth and is custom-designed to match your smile’s shape and color. The implants also rest within your gums, without the tell-tale wires or adhesives of dentures or bridges.
Other tooth replacement options, such as bridges, use surrounding teeth as anchors to hold the false teeth in place. Or, in the case of dentures, they may just be secured to your gums with adhesive.
Dental implants act more like real teeth, and they even have a metal “root,” usually made of titanium. Your dentist surgically inserts this metal implant post into your jawbone, where it fuses with the bone over the next few months.
Once the post is secure and stable, your dentist caps it with an abutment. The abutment is the piece that holds your custom-designed porcelain crown (false tooth) in place. Your implant not only looks like a real tooth, but it also acts like one, too, by interacting with your jawbone each time you chew.
With dental implants, you don’t have to worry about avoiding tough or hard foods like steaks, bagels, and apples. You can eat and bite normally and enjoy your meals without the embarrassment of dentures that can slip out of place or bridges that may snap and break.
The normal pressure of chewing with both your natural teeth and dental implants creates healthy stress that keeps your jawbone strong. Dental implants preserve the density and shape of your jawline, so you don’t develop the lower-face sagging that some denture wearers have.
A dental implant takes the place of your missing tooth and therefore keeps surrounding teeth in healthy alignment. If you don’t replace your missing tooth, other teeth may grow toward the gap, leading to difficulties in chewing and speaking.
Replacing your missing tooth with an implant is also the healthiest choice because it protects your gums, jawbone, and other teeth from infection. The dental implant fills the space left by your missing tooth, so bacteria can’t reach your gums or bone.
Your dentist doesn’t need to modify your other teeth to accommodate a dental implant. In contrast, if you choose dental bridges instead of implants, your dentist may need to file down surrounding teeth so they can accept the stabilizing crowns of the bridge.
With proper care, your dental implants could last a lifetime. Dental implants can’t develop cavities or stains, but you still must clean them thoroughly and regularly, just like your real teeth: Brush twice a day with toothpaste, and floss at least once a day. Be sure to visit The Dental Studio at least twice a year for a professional dental cleaning.
There’s no question implants are the better option for replacing missing teeth. If you’re ready to smile again with confidence, contact us online or by phone to set up a dental implant consultation.
