When to Consider Dental Implants

If you’ve been thinking about restoring your smile to its former glory, you have more options today than ever before. Dental implants are some of the best prostheses to consider using to improve your smile. They can cost a little more upfront than other types of restorations, but they also offer many more benefits in return. Knowing the strengths of dental implants will help you determine when to invest in them and when a bridge or partial denture might work better.

Missing Teeth

When you have all of your natural teeth in place, there’s no need for a dental implant. But once you join the millions of people who are missing at least one tooth, you’re a good candidate for getting an implant. These devices are made to fill in the gaps left behind when natural teeth are lost, removed, or never grow in. They work well for people of all ages as long as there is enough gum and jaw bone to support the implant. Dental implants are considered an alternative to dentures and bridges, both of which can fill in the gap left by missing teeth. No matter why a tooth is lost, there’s a good chance you can use an implant to replace it.

Why Choose Dental Implants?

Your Clayton dentist can examine you and determine if you have the right oral health for a dental implant. If you can support the implant, it offers many benefits like durability, natural appearance, and lack of maintenance.The dental implant is maintained like a natural tooth, requiring only regular brushing and flossing. As a standalone solution to replacing a missing tooth, implants are far less likely to have long term complications or failure. In contrast, bridges and partial dentures often need replacing every 5 to 15 years. The implants look just like your natural teeth and act like them as well. You don’t need to remove them for cleaning every night like you would with dentures and there’s no impact on the surrounding natural teeth like you’d get from bridges. As a long-lasting and undetectable form of dental restoration, the implant will restore your confidence and your ability to bite and chew foods.

Considering the Dental Implants Cost

Dental implants in Clayton have an upfront cost that is a few thousand dollars in most cases. This is slightly more expensive than the average bridge or partial denture. However, when you consider the long-term costs of replacing and maintaining bridges and partial dentures, a dental implant in many cases is a more economical choice over the long term. The cost for your dental implants can vary depending on the extra work you might need to prepare yourself first, such as gum and bone grafts. Only your dentist can give you an accurate cost estimate for implants based on your oral health and the number of implants you need.

What Complicates the Use of Dental Implants?

Most people are healthy enough to enjoy the stability and attractiveness of this type of restoration. However, people with uncontrolled diabetes or heart disease may be at a higher risk for rejection after the implantation phase. The biggest complication that prevents the use of a dental implant is missing jaw or gum tissue. Since the implant is based around a titanium post that integrates with the jaw bone for a strong grip, there needs to be plenty of both bone and gum tissue to hold it. Your dentist has grafts for both types of tissue to restore your health before installing the implant.

Make an appointment to see Austin Brown DDS to discuss your options for dental implants. If we can’t help you with this kind of restoration in particular, we also offer dentures and bridges that fill in your smile with security and style.