Have your dentures literally started to rub you the wrong way? Or do you have to make trips into the dental office to have them re-fit over and over again? If so, you’ve probably wondered if there’s a better option. Dental implants are an excellent alternative to dentures for the millions of Americans who are missing teeth. However, while dentures have been the go-to solution for decades, patients today find that implants are a far more comfortable and permanent choice for anyone who has been searching for a better way.
What Are Dental Implants?
Essentially, implants are replacement teeth. However, they offer several important advantages over other replacement options for one main reason: They include the root of the tooth.
In fact, the first step of the implant procedure is the placement of a surgical-grade titanium post that will act as the new root. Oftentimes patients are surprised at how easy and virtually painless this part of the process is.
Once the post is placed in the jaw, it’s given several months to integrate, or fuse, with the surrounding bone. During this time you’ll be able to eat, drink and function normally, and will not notice that anything feels different in your mouth.
When the post has successfully integrated, the replacement tooth (crown) is done. If you’ve ever had a typical crown done, this will be a very similar procedure. Your dentist will take impressions so that it will look and feel like the rest of your teeth. After the crown has been made, it will be permanently affixed to the titanium post.
Why Are Implants Better than Dentures?
There are many reasons why someone may have lost some, or all, of their teeth. Unfortunately, dentures were the best option that patients had for many years, although they can have a lot of unanticipated consequences:
- Causing sore spots.
- Preventing you from being able to eat your favorite foods.
- Affecting your ability to speak or articulate clearly.
- Becoming loose and needing continual re-fitting as the bone in your jaw is lost.
- Changing the appearance or structure of your face.
If you’re replacing both the root and crown part of your missing teeth with an implant, you’ll have a dramatically better result, with far more support and comfort than with dentures. So much so that it will be hard to tell the difference between an implant and your regular teeth.
In addition, implants can last a lifetime! All that they require is regular brushing and flossing, just like the rest of the teeth. But given proper care and regular checkups, you can look forward to many years of solid, comfortable and hassle-free oral health.
About the Author
Dr. Brian Eck and Dr. Joseph Sage specialize in restorative, cosmetic and implant dentistry. Their practice is centered on the best that modern dentistry has to offer along with old-fashioned care and compassion for all of their patients. If you have more questions about implants, they can be reached at their contact us page on their website or at (210) 361-8905.
