Dental implants are titanium medical devices surgically implanted into the jawbone to retore a person’s appearance and ability to chew properly. When a tooth is lost due to injury, fracture or infection, a person can experience complications such as rapid bone loss, defective speech or changes to chewing patterns that result in discomfort. Replacing the tooth with an implant can significantly improve a patient’s quality of life and health.
Unlike bridges or dentures, implants are designed to function just like natural teeth. They are anchored into the jawbone, which helps preserve bone structure and prevent further deterioration, something other options cannot do.
Here are a few key reasons to consider them:
Durability and Longevity:
Implants are made of strong materials and are built to last. With proper care, they can last a lifetime, unlike other solutions that may need to be replaced after a few years.
Improved functionality:
With dental implants, you can eat, speak and smile confidently. They retore full biting strength, meaning no more slipping or shifting, like with dentures.
Aesthetics:
They look and feel natural. Since they fuse with your jawbone, they don’t just improve your smile and chewing surface but can also help maintain the shape of your face, preventing a sunken appearance that often happens with missing teeth.
Preventing Bone Loss:
When you lose a tooth, the bone beneath it will begin to shrink. Implants help prevent this by stimulating the bone, just like a natural tooth root would.
No Impact on surrounding teeth:
Unlike bridges, which require altering adjacent teeth, implants stand alone, meaning you don’t need to compromise your healthy teeth to fill a gap.
In short, dental implants offer a permanent, practical and aesthetically pleasing solution to tooth loss.