7 Benefits of Dental Implants: Restoring Confidence and Function
Dental implants are nothing new; they have been around since the 1950s. But it was only after materials like titanium were used in making them that implants saw a surge in popularity.
Technically, dental implants are posts driven into the jawbone that act as the roots of replacement teeth. The implants support artificial teeth that look and function like the original ones.
Due to the multiple benefits of a tooth implant, the demand for the procedure is rising. Trends indicate that in the coming years, implants are set to become increasingly popular. If you’re considering investing in long-term oral health through an implant, knowing their advantages makes a lot of sense.
1. Preventing Bone Loss
An inevitable drawback of tooth extraction is the loss of bone mass in the jawbone that supports the tooth. With the loss of the tooth, the pressure on the jawbone is relieved. So, the body absorbs the bone through the process of resorption.
Studies have found that within the first three months after teeth extraction, almost 30% of the alveolar ridge – the upper parts of the jaw that contain the teeth sockets – is lost due to resorption. Not only is bone loss damaging to gum health, but it can affect the shape of your mouth and face as well.
Implants reduce the resorption rate and help preserve the bone in the alveolar ridge. That means replacing the missing tooth with a dental implant is the best option for preventing bone loss.
2. Natural Look and Feel
Since implants act as roots, they support a crown on top. The crown looks like natural teeth and helps restore your smile. It can be custom-made to match the color and shape of the surrounding teeth, making you feel confident about yourself while socializing.
3. Helps Keep Nearby Teeth Stable
One consequence of a missing tooth is that the surrounding teeth start migrating towards the gap. Not only will this affect your smile, but the worst-case scenario is a bite misalignment. This can cause chewing problems and painful conditions related to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
In addition, subjecting a tooth that is leaned at an angle to heavy biting forces can have various adverse consequences. The misaligned forces can lead to the cracking of the leaning teeth.
These problems can be avoided by filling the gap with a dental implant and overdentures or false teeth that it supports. This prevents the adjoining tooth from drifting towards the gap.
4. Restores Natural Facial Structure
The effects of a weakened jawbone from a missing tooth are not limited to the teeth. Actually, it can affect the entire face. Think of sagging facial skin or a collapsed cheek, resulting in an effect that will make you appear older.
A major function of a dental implant is to keep the jawbone strong and the teeth structure stable. Once the anatomy of the teeth is recreated, your facial structure has no risk of changing.
5. Enables Normal Chewing and Speaking
Imagine losing the advantage of the wide and strong chewing surfaces of a molar. This means eating your favorite food with confidence may no longer be possible. Besides, with inadequate chewing ability, you risk digestive problems. Dental implants eliminate such problems and make normal chewing possible even after losing teeth.
6. Restores Bite Strength
The use of overdentures supported by implants has been shown to improve bite strength. Regardless of the type of implants used, they improve your chewing efficiency. Since the implants are embedded into the jawbone, they can withstand the repeating cycle of strong biting forces without failing.
7. Increases Confidence and Quality of Life
A study has revealed that the benefits of a tooth implant include an improvement in the oral health-related quality of life for patients. It also helps in reducing the level of teeth function limitations and psychological discomfort. Compared to those using conventional dentures, patients with implants have better life standards and confidence levels.
Dental Implants vs All on Four Implants
All on Four implants are used to replace an entire arch of teeth, either upper or lower. It uses four implants, strategically placed on the jawbone to support the replacement teeth. Generally, the exact location of the implants is determined by using 3D imaging.
The entire process, including the placement of replacement teeth, is completed through a single surgical procedure. This makes the process less invasive. It works best for patients who have lost or damaged most or all of their teeth in a single row.
It is also a practical option for patients who have suffered bone loss from specific portions of the jawbone. Moreover, implants of longer lengths can be placed in suitable locations for better support.
In contrast, individual dental implants can replace a single damaged tooth. Coming to costs, replacing each damaged tooth individually through implants can be more expensive than All on Four implants. One of the main benefits of All on 4 dental implants is their affordability.
Both procedures are effective for preserving your oral health and delivering long-term dental solutions. In the end, the choice between the two depends on your condition and preferences.
What is the Success Rate of Dental Implants?
One benefit of tooth implants is that they are supposed to be permanent. This happens mainly through a healing process called osseointegration. This results in a physical and functional integration between the bone and the implant. However, the success of this process depends on multiple factors.
Studies have revealed that the success rate for dental implants is over 90% over a ten-year period. Patients above the age of 60 have shown a higher failure rate. Remember that the quality of the supporting jawbone plays an important role in determining implant performance. Overall, the higher success rates of implants have also resulted in their increased demand.
Even so, in some cases, the implants have failed within a few months. This can be due to multiple effects like a lack of oral hygiene, infection, and periodontal disease. Other factors that affect implant stability are smoking and grinding teeth. Lastly, improper implant placement and poorly designed implants can also lead to failure.
Final Thoughts
There are various advantages of dental implants including their ability to last and function for years. Quite simply, they are a viable option for revitalizing your smile in case your teeth are damaged due to injury or disease.
Implants are a permanent solution that provides you with the best comfort and satisfaction while chewing – for many patients, that makes them better options than dentures. But keep in mind that even though the implants are supposed to substitute the real teeth, they need the same level of care as the real ones.
Consult with us to learn more about dental implant benefits and to see if this is the best option for you. Schedule an appointment today.