I have always been an avid hockey player, and my love took a bad turn one day when I got struck in the mouth with the puck. It was a painful moment that left me with two teeth knocked out of my mouth. Had I taken the right steps after the accident, I could have possibly saved the teeth, but I did not know I had that option at the time. Thankfully, I worked up the courage to visit a dentist and ask what my options for teeth-replacement were. I was worried I would would have to live the rest of my life without smiling, but I was ecstatic to learn that I was the perfect candidate for dental implants. I created this blog to help others realize that there are so many options to replace missing teeth today that no one has to "just live with" an imperfect smile!
For those that are missing teeth, techniques such as dental bonding and veneers may not be the best option for fixing your smile. While dentures are a viable solution, they can be unappealing to younger patients that still have healthy gums. Instead of living with missing teeth, you should consider dental implants. These 4 benefits might convince you to have this surgical procedure done.
Implants Will Improve Your Confidence
One of the problems with other teeth replacement methods, like partial dentures, is that others will be able to tell they are not real teeth. They can slip positions in your mouth, have a different appearance, alter your speech, and you may need to remove them around others.
Dental implants feel and look like natural teeth. Once they are successfully installed, there is no reason for others to think that you actually have false teeth installed. The implant can give you the confidence you need since the replacement tooth will look seamless with all the others. The implant will not slip around either, so you'll have normal speech once again without the worry about a false tooth slipping out of place.
Implants Will Prevent Your Jaw From Deteriorating
Ever notice how someone with many missing teeth can have a face that looks like it has sunk in? That is because your teeth play a crucial role in maintaining the structure of your face. Without an implanted tooth to stimulate the jawbone, your jawbone can actually deteriorate over time. Dental implants can help maintain your jawbone's health and prevent the structure of your face from changing.
Implants Make Eating Much Easier
Dentures can limit you to the kind of foods that you eat every single day, which is because dentures simply are not as strong as natural teeth. Dentures have a significantly reduced bite force of around 50 pounds, compared to natural teeth that have a bite force of 200-250 pounds. Since implants are as strong as natural teeth, you do not lose that additional chewing ability. It's the difference between being able to eat an apple and eating applesauce.
Implants Avoid The Need To Alter Healthy Teeth
Another solution to missing teeth is dental veneers. Unfortunately, it involves shaving down the healthy teeth that surround the gap so that the veneer can be installed on the front of your healthy teeth. This permanently alters the healthy teeth, which you shouldn't have to do. Implants are self-contained, so if you have healthy teeth surrounding the area where you need implants, those teeth will remain untouched.
For more information about dental implants, speak with a local dentist (such as Olympia Dental and Implant Center). They can perform an exam to let you know if you'll be a good candidate for dental implants.
Share28 October 2015
