Replacing Missing Teeth With Dental Implants
There have been many advances in the dental industry, including more options for replacing missing teeth. Many of these advances provide teeth replacements that are difficult to decipher from real teeth. This article discusses the advantages of dental implants, from places like Jacqueline Subka DDS APC, and a few of the risks that may occur.
Advantages:
- They are more permanent than other options. Because of the way they are built, dental implants are very durable and built to last. As long as they are taken care of properly, they can last for the rest of the patient's life and are more permanent than some of the other options out there.
- They look and function just like regular teeth. Dental implants look like regular teeth, so they are difficult to decipher from the rest of the teeth. Because of their design, they function just as well as regular teeth.
- They help to improve the appearance of the smile and can raise self-esteem. When several teeth are missing, this can affect the way the patient feels about themselves. Having these teeth replaced with teeth that look real can help to raise the self-esteem of the patient.
- They help to protect the jaw bone. Teeth help to support the jaw bone. If a patient has several teeth for a long period of time, the jaw bone may begin to deteriorate. Having dental implants surgically placed into the jaw can help prevent this deterioration from happening.
- They help to improve speech. When a patient has dentures, they may slip while the patient is trying to talk, causing speech to be difficult. Because dental implants are made to fuse with the bone, they won't slip, thereby preventing this difficult speech.
- They prevent the shaving down of tooth enamel. With other forms of teeth replacement, the tooth enamel may need to be shaved down in order to fit the teeth. Dental implants are made to fit the gaps in the teeth, protecting the natural tooth tissue.
- They help the ease of eating. Because dental implants function just like regular teeth, eating can be easier than eating with several gaps or with dentures.
Risks involved:
As is with any surgical procedure, there are a few risks involved with dental implants. Following is a list of these risks.
- Numbness, pain, or tingling. The nerves in and around the implant site may become slightly damaged, causing pain, numbness, or tingling.
- Infection of the implant site. It is very important to follow the dentist's instructions very carefully, otherwise the implant site might become infected, requiring antibiotics.
- Sinus problems. Though this is very rare, the dental implants might protrude into the sinus cavities, causing pain and other issues.