Replacing missing teeth is about more than just maintaining your appearance, it’s about preserving your oral health and avoiding future health concerns. As one of the most popular solutions to missing teeth, dental implants allow you to restore your smile while enjoying the same conveniences and comforts of natural teeth. They are, however, one of the more costly options when it comes to replacing missing teeth, which drives many to choose alternatives like dentures and bridges.
Nevertheless, choosing dental implants does come with a few unique benefits that dentures, dental bridges, and other tooth replacement options don’t offer. We’ve listed our top 5 benefits of getting dental implants to help you decide whether they’re right for you.
Benefits of Getting Dental Implants
Enjoy an Unrestricted Diet
Unlike other tooth replacements, getting dental implants won’t have any effect on what you can or can’t eat. Implants are inserted straight into the surrounding jawbone and are just as strong, if not stronger, than natural teeth. Because of this, patients who opt for dental implants can enjoy an unrestricted diet after the healing process and can continue on with their regular lives. However, it’s important to note that dental implants aren’t indestructible and anything that can damage your natural teeth, such as chewing on hard foods, can also damage your implants.
Keep Your Jawbone Healthy
Your natural teeth are embedded deep into the jawbone, stimulating it whenever you chew or bite something. Similar to how muscles shrink when they’re not used, your jawbone will also begin to deteriorate in places where it’s not used, i.e. where teeth are missing. As a result, jawbone deterioration is one of the most common side effects of tooth loss. This deterioration gradually leads to a variety of health concerns including further tooth loss and complications down the line. Since dental implants essentially mimic natural tooth roots, they eventually fuse with your jawbone just like a real tooth would, keeping your jawbone healthy and preventing jawbone deterioration.
Maintain a Natural Appearance
While other tooth replacement options, like dentures and bridges, effectively cover up missing teeth, the fact that they’re removable comes with a few downsides. For starters, bridges and dentures can move around in your mouth if they don’t fit well or aren’t properly secured. Even the slightest movement can make it obvious you’re wearing false teeth. To make matters worse, these movements tend to happen at the worst possible times, like when you’re talking or eating. On the other hand, dental implants are permanently fixed in place, meaning that there’s no chance of them moving and no need to worry about them slipping out of place when you least expect it.
Set and Forget
Speaking of movements, since dental implants are permanent, there’s absolutely no need to remove them for cleaning or maintenance. Unlike dentures and bridges, which need to be regularly removed, cleaned, and adjusted, dental implants are designed to replace your natural teeth rather than cover up missing teeth. So, all you need to do to maintain dental implants is to simply brush and floss them like you would your natural teeth. In the same way, there’s no need to schedule special follow-ups or visits with your dentist or denturist to check and adjust your dental implants, like you would with dentures or bridges.
Dental Implants Last Longer
Dentures and bridges typically last up to 15 years before needing to be replaced or restored. In contrast, dental implants are designed to offer a permanent solution to tooth replacement and most patients won’t ever need to repair or replace an implant. As long as you get your dental implants fitted by a professional dentist or denturist and take good care of them by practicing good oral hygiene and a healthy lifestyle, your dental implants should last you at least 25 years.
Are Dental Implants Right for Me?
Dental implants are undoubtedly one of the most effective tooth replacement solutions, but that doesn’t mean they’re right for everyone. The best way to determine whether you’re a suitable candidate for dental implants is to simply ask a dentist or denturist. If you’re around the Calgary area, call or email Hillhurst Denture Clinic today to book your free consultation and find out whether dental implants are right for you.
