Dental Implants: The Long-Term Solution For Missing Teeth
Feb 01, 2022
Having missing teeth can make someone feel self-conscious or embarrassed to smile or talk to new people. Even worse, bite irregularities caused by missing teeth can affect your feeding habits, eventually leading to secondary health conditions such as malnutrition. Missing teeth are also associated with teeth shifting, jawbone resorption, facial sagging, poor speech, poor dental hygiene, and premature aging. When looking to replace missing teeth, dentures, bridges, and implants are all possible solutions.
Dental implants are the best if you’re looking for the most beautiful, natural, and long-lasting results. While the procedure of getting a dental implant near me is more lengthy and expensive, the results are worth it. To get an implant, you must have healthy gums and jawbone. Good oral health is also vital to facilitate faster healing. Factors such as smoking, poor health, and an unhealthy jawbone can disqualify one from getting an implant.
What is a Dental Implant?
An implant consists of titanium posts or screws inserted into the underlying jawbone to replace a missing tooth. The implant fuses with the jawbone (osseointegration). The healing process takes about 3-6 months, after which you get an abutment tooth and crown. If you don’t have enough jawbone and bridges, and dentures aren’t an option, your dentist will likely recommend bone grafting.
Bone grafting seeks to repair and rebuild the unhealthy bone to allow the implant to attach successfully. When well placed and cared for, dental implants are designed to last for a minimum of 25 years but can last for a lifetime. Typically, implants used as front teeth restorations usually last longer than those used to replace molars and premolars. Contact us for dental implants Calgary.
Benefits of Dental Implants
- Strong and stable
One of the main concerns with alternative replacement treatment such as dentures is that they can unexpectedly slip or fall out of your mouth. Since dental implants fuse with the underlying jawbone, they become part of your mouth. The implant can’t slip or fall out as it is permanently in the jawbone. They achieve the strength and stability of natural teeth.
- Long-lasting
Compared to alternative restorative treatments such as bridges and dentures, implants are a long-term investment. Implants are made from solid materials such as titanium and zirconium, making them highly durable. If well maintained, dental implants should last for a lifetime.
- Natural results
When the implant heals, it looks like your natural teeth. Compared to dentures and bridges, implants offer the most realistic results. No one except your dentist can know that you have any dental work. Similarly, implants are attached to the jawbone like natural teeth. They feel like natural teeth.
- Improved oral function
Eating and chewing with missing teeth can be difficult, especially if the missing teeth are molars or premolars. Dental implants replace the missing tooth, restoring its lost functions such as chewing and speaking. You can now eat, drink, chat, and laugh with ease.
- Improves facial muscles
When left for too long, missing teeth can lead to jawbone resorption. Facial muscles collapse when the jawbone weakens, leading to facial sagging, wrinkles, and premature aging. When you replace lost teeth with implants, you restore the chewing activity of the lost teeth. It stimulates jawbone growth and lifts your facial muscles, giving you a healthy and youthful smile makeover Calgary.
- Easy maintenance
Once the implant heals, and you get a protective crown, the implant is like natural teeth. It’s even easier to care for as it can’t get cavities due to its artificial nature. Unlike dentures, implants don’t require removal when sleeping or cleaning. Once they are in the jawbone, they become a permanent part of your mouth. Similarly, you don’t have to invest in any unique dental products – just maintain excellent dental hygiene practices. To care for your implant and mouth:
- Brush at least twice daily.
- Floss daily.
- Avoid sugary and acidic items.
- Avoid hard, crunchy, or sticky foods.
- Avoid tobacco products.
- Schedule regular dental exams and cleanings.
- Wear a nightguard for bruxism.
- Wear a sports guard for physical activities.
- Avoid highly pigmented items to avoid staining the implant.
Schedule Your Appointment Today
Are you looking for dental implants near you, or would you like to learn more about teeth implant restorations? Contact Northwest Prosthodontics to speak with our prosthodontist in NW, Calgary.