Dental implants are the crowning achievement of modern dentistry. Teeth are pretty strong, but for centuries tooth loss has been evident. In fact, an estimated 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth. So, missing a tooth doesn't seem too out of the ordinary. However, all the dentists in Denver, CO, recommend replacing a missing tooth as soon as possible, and for a good reason.
Gaps in your teeth will hinder your ability to bite and chew. It can also make you self-conscious and less confident of your smile. Eventually, it can lead to more severe dental issues down the road. Tooth replacement treatments like dentures and bridges can be used effectively. However, if we look at the effectiveness and functionality over the long term, dental implants take the cake. The best dental implants in Denver are essentially titanium screws or posts that are surgically placed into your jawbone by a Denver CO dentist. The implant fuses with the bone as the wound heals, providing a strong, stable base for an artificial tooth (crown) to be attached.
If you have a gap in your teeth due to extensive tooth decay, gum disease, or physical injury, contact OG Dental today for a consultation. You may be a suitable candidate for dental implants. But before you have an implant installed, let's look at some of the advantages.
The jaw bone needs constant stimulation to repair and rebuild itself. When your natural teeth feel pressure, they transmit it through the periodontal ligament to the bone. This stimulation keeps it in a perpetual state of breaking down and regeneration. When you lose a tooth, the bone doesn't receive enough stimulation, and it breaks down faster than it can rebuild itself, leading to bone loss. Implants act as the root and provide more than enough stimulation to the jawbone.
They don't require support from adjacent teeth. Unlike implants that are firmly planted in the jawbone, bridges rely on the adjacent 'abutment' teeth to hold them in place. This can potentially damage the support teeth. Additionally, the artificial tooth used in bridges, the pontic, can act as a receptacle for bacteria, increasing the chances of the abutment teeth decaying. You eliminate all this with dental implants. If you are considering tooth replacement, contact OG Dental. Our team of professionals will help you find what will work best for you.
This refers to how hard you can bite down. A healthy person can bite down with a force of 200 to 250 pounds, but treatment options like dentures restore only 25% of their bite force. You won't be able to eat certain foods, and you will have a hard time chewing. Implants, on the other hand, restore at least 80% and, in some cases, up to 100% of your bite force. This allows you to bite and chew your food with ease.
You cannot deny the confidence-boosting capabilities of a clean set of teeth. A dental implant, when coupled with a crown, will look indistinguishable from the rest of your teeth. Your Denver Highlands dentist will custom make an implant that perfectly matches the size and shape of your natural teeth, allowing you to talk and smile without any self-consciousness.
Dr. Kristina Neda, a cosmetic dentist in Georgetown, KY, agrees that dental implants don't require any special care. All you need to do is brush and floss twice a day, as you should, even if you don't have implants. With proper care, implants can last a lifetime.
While implants are very effective at restoring both the functionality and aesthetic of your teeth, they do have some downfalls. The following are some possible disadvantages of dental implants, just to help you make a more informed decision.
It can take a long time for dental implants to heal. For starters, implanting the titanium screw into your jaw will require minor surgery, followed by around six months of healing time for the implant to fuse with your jawbone. If you do not have enough bone mass to hold the implant, you may have to undergo a bone graft first, and this can add anywhere from 3 months to a year to your recovery time.
You may lose bone around the implant. Although the implant prevents bone loss from lack of stimulation, it is still common to lose bone around the implants as you age. If too much bone is lost, you may have to have the implant replaced.
There is a small risk of your dental implant failing. At 10%, the chances of your implant failing are low. The gum around the implant can get infected by bacteria leading to peri-implantitis and bone loss. Our dentists at OG Dental prevent this by making sure only the most suitable candidates get dental implants. We always take proper precautions before, during, and after the procedure.
Despite these risks, dental implants still have a 90%-95% success rate, and they can restore the functionality and aesthetic of your smile to what it once was. Are you looking for a tooth replacement by a Denver Highlands dentist? Contact OG Dental for the best dental implants in Denver today.
