When you have caries, dental injury, or infection, saving your natural tooth should always be your first choice. However, you may suffer from tooth loss due to progressive tissue damage. Yet, you can still restore your oral form and function through restorations like dental implants. These are excellent teeth replacements since they are permanent and highly durable in nature.
Bessemer City dentist office specializes in providing you with high-quality dental implants that help to regain your smile in a more comfortable and permanent way.
What is a dental implant?
A dental implant is an artificial prosthetic that mimics tooth roots made up of medical-grade titanium. These screw-like posts are inserted into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth, bridge, or denture. The titanium alloys, being biocompatible in nature, can easily fuse with the jawbone through a process called osseointegration. Dental implants are the first option for people who have lost a tooth or teeth due to periodontal disease, an injury, infection, or other reasons.
These artificial tooth replacements feel and function similar to your natural teeth. They are customized to look exactly like the real ones, making it virtually impossible to see the difference.
There are two types of dental implants:
- Endosteal implants: This type of implant is inserted directly into the jawbone.
- Subperiosteal implants: This type of implant is placed on top of the jawbone, especially if you do not have sufficient bone density and thickness.
How can dental implants benefit you?
Dental implants are the most popular restorations for replacing missing teeth, when compared to dentures and bridges. This is because they offer the following advantages:
- Provide permanent tooth replacement
- Improve speech and masticatory functions
- Provide a strong foundation for permanent restorations like crown and dentures
- Are fixed prostheses
- Prevent bone resorption
- Improve your overall appearance and self-confidence
- Preserve your adjacent teeth
- Are highly durable with proper oral care and can even last a lifetime
Am I a candidate for dental implants?
Your dentist will determine if you are an ideal candidate for dental implants if you meet the following criteria:
- Have one or more missing teeth
- Have good gum health
- Have sufficient bone density and volume
- Are willing to give time for extensive procedures involved in dental implants
- Are an adult with fully developed jawbones
- Tired of ill-fitting conventional dentures
- Are dedicated to maintaining good oral hygiene
- Do not have unhealthy lifestyle habits like smoking
Final note
If an endodontic procedure like root canal therapy cannot save your tooth and it must be extracted, consider getting a dental implant. This enables you to bite and chew properly, prevents healthy teeth from shifting, and helps you maintain a natural appearance.
