What Are the Benefits of Dental Implants?
Your teeth help you to chew food and speak properly, but they also play a crucial role in your self-esteem. As such, replacing teeth that are missing due to trauma, decay, or gum disease is essential.
Dental implants are one of the best solutions to replace missing teeth, allowing patients to restore the appearance and function of their smiles with a long-term, natural-looking tooth replacement option.
So, what are the benefits of dental implants for missing teeth? Here, we take a closer look at dental implants and why they’re one of the best tooth replacement options.
What Are Dental Implants?
Before exploring the benefits, it’s important to understand what dental implants are.
Dental implants consist of three different parts:
- The post that goes into your jawbone, typically made of biocompatible materials like titanium or ceramic.
- The abutment, which is a connective piece that will attach your visible tooth restoration to the implant.
- The crown, bridge, or arch—the actual artificial tooth replacement that will be visible in your mouth.
These components work together to create a dental implant and provide a long-term solution for missing teeth. Whether you are missing one or multiple teeth, dental implants are an excellent replacement option.
Why are dental implants so popular for tooth replacement? Here are the top benefits of dental implants for your smile.
Improved Aesthetics
One of the best benefits of dental implants is their ability to restore the natural appearance of your teeth. Unlike dentures, dental implants naturally integrate with your jawbone, providing a secure foundation for tooth replacement.
Your dentist will create a custom dental crown to put on the end of your implant, which will be indistinguishable from your natural teeth. Since the tooth will look, feel, and function like the rest of your teeth, it improves your appearance and confidence.
Enhanced Functionality
Since dental implants are able to function like your natural teeth, they provide stable support for chewing, biting, and speaking without worrying about slippage or discomfort, as is often the case for patients with dentures.
With dental implants, you can enjoy all your favorite foods without restriction, including crunchy fruits and vegetables, meat, nuts, and sticky foods.
For those who have experienced the frustration of dealing with ill-fitting dentures, this functional aspect of dental implants is a game changer.
Long-Term Tooth Replacement Solution
While most tooth restoration options need to be replaced, dental implants have the potential to be a lifelong tooth replacement option. The implant portion fuses with your jawbone, so while the dental crown will need to be replaced, the implant can last a lifetime with the proper care.
Compare this with dentures, which need to be replaced every few years, as well as bridges, which need to be replaced every 10-15 years. This durability makes dental implants a cost-effective tooth replacement option, allowing patients to stress less about replacing their missing teeth over time.
Preservation of Jawbone Structure
One of the most significant and unique benefits of dental implants is their role in preserving jawbone strength.
When a tooth is lost, the underlying jawbone, called alveolar bone, can deteriorate due to lack of stimulation from tooth roots. Most of this bone loss occurs within the first six months of losing a tooth, making it crucial to replace your missing tooth as soon as possible. Doing so can help you avoid the need for a bone graft when investing in dental implants.
Dental implants mimic the natural tooth root, stimulating the jawbone and preventing bone loss over time. This helps maintain not just your jawbone strength but also the structure of your face, reducing the risk of a sunken or aged appearance that often happens with missing teeth.
Easy Maintenance
Caring for dental implants is similar to caring for your natural teeth. Regular brushing and flossing, and teeth cleaning, along with routine dental check-ups, are essential for maintaining both the implant and oral hygiene.
Unlike dentures, which require special cleaning solutions and need to be removed at night, implants are permanent fixtures that don’t require any extra maintenance or products.
Different Options for Multiple Missing Teeth
Dental implants allow patients with multiple missing teeth to explore different options for tooth replacement. For example, patients may be able to consider implant-supported bridges, implant-supported dentures, and All-on-4 dental implant treatment.
These options allow patients to replace multiple missing teeth without needing to get a dental implant for every single missing tooth. Instead, patients can place one or several implants to support a natural-looking, secure prosthesis with all the same benefits as traditional implants for a lower cost.
Increased Confidence and Self-Esteem
Research shows people who choose dental implants to replace missing teeth have a better quality of life. Patients feel secure eating, smiling, speaking, and laughing without worry with dental implants.
By improving aesthetics, functionality, and self-confidence, dental implants empower people to engage more fully in life without being held back by missing teeth or tooth replacements they don’t feel confident about.
Quick Recovery and High Success Rate
The dental implant placement process is often quicker than many people think. While individual healing times vary, many patients can resume normal activities within just a couple of days. The implant will need to heal for a few weeks or months before your permanent dental crown can be placed.
Dental implants also have a higher success rate—over 97% of patients who got dental implants still had them 10 years after the initial placement. Their high success rate makes them one of the most reliable options for tooth replacement.
Explore Your Options for Dental Implants in Asheville With Saunders DDS
With all the benefits of dental implants, it’s easy to see why they are the go-to choice for tooth replacement for many patients and dentists today. If you’re considering dental implants for one or more missing teeth, explore your options with Saunders DDS. We can help you restore your smile with these beautiful and functional tooth replacements in Asheville. Book a consultation with us today by reaching us online or calling (828) 277-6060.
Want to enhance your oral health and smile? Book a consultation at our dental clinic in NC with Saunders DDS and explore the transformative benefits of dental implants!