When you lose your teeth, your entire life is affected. Once simple tasks become challenging. The appearance of your smile deteriorates. Your jaw begins to change shape, altering your facial features and causing you to appear old. The more teeth you lose, the worse these consequences become. Replacing missing teeth is critical for restoring your quality of life. At Reno-Tahoe Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center, we provide dental implants as a way to replace your missing teeth. Dental implants are a more recent development, but they have become one of the most popular options. Moreover, with good reason.
BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES OF DENTAL IMPLANTS
Chew Without Worry
Your teeth are an essential component in biting and chewing food. They are responsible for breaking down your food so that your body can more easily access, and digest, the nutrients held inside. When you lose your teeth, chewing properly becomes more difficult. When you are unable to properly break down food, the body has to work harder to get what it needs. Options like dentures can restore some of your chewing function, but they are not always stable. When they slide around in your mouth, chewing becomes more difficult. They may also fall out while you are eating, which can lead to a rather embarrassing situation. With dental implants, your teeth are held securely in place. They function just like your natural teeth, completely breaking down everything you eat so that your body can more easily digest it.
Improved Communication
Teeth control airflow when you speak. When you lose your teeth, you may find that you develop a lisp, and have a more difficult time communicating. Others find it hard to understand you. The crowns of dental implants act just like the crowns of your natural teeth. Once in place, they control airflow once again, making it easier for you to communicate with others.
Greater Comfort
Traditional options for tooth replacement, dentures, in particular, are known for being uncomfortable. The rigid base sits directly on your gums, which were not designed to support the pressures the dentures place on them. Along with this, dentures can become loose over time, and begin to rub the sensitive gum tissue, which leads to painful denture sores. With implants, your replacement teeth are supported by the titanium rods that have been implanted into the jaw, as well as the jawbone. Moreover, because the teeth are held securely in place on stable implants, you do not need to worry about your teeth sliding around and irritating your gums.
No Rigorous Care Routine
Dentures are well known for their rigorous care routine. Each night they needed to be taken out and brushed with denture paste before being left to soak overnight in a cleaning solution. After you have cleaned your dentures, then you have to clean your gums and any other remaining teeth. This task often seems arduous to many people. Dental implants, on the other hand, are much easier care for. They can, and should, be brushed and flossed just like your natural teeth. It is also important, even if all of your teeth have been replaced with dental implants, to maintain optimal oral health.
Preserving The Integrity Of Your Jawbone
Dental implants also have the unique benefit of stimulating your jawbone similarly to the roots of your natural teeth. No other tooth replacement option can do this. Your teeth stimulate your jawbone, sending a message to the body. The body then sends the nutrients necessary for your jaw health. When you lose your teeth, there is less stimulation. As a result, fewer nutrients are sent, and the bone begins to weaken. Because implants are placed into the jawbone, much like tooth roots, the stimulation is restored. Bone loss is stopped, and your jaw can maintain its health and integrity.
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
To help you determine which tooth replacement option is best for you, it’s important to know how long dental implants typically last. Dental implants are the longest-lasting tooth loss replacement option in comparison to dentures and dental bridges. The true lifespan of your dental implants will greatly depend on your oral hygiene habits, but on average, dental implants are replaced every 25 years. A dental implant may even last a person’s entire lifetime with proper care while dentures and bridges must be replaced on average every 5-7 years.
AM I A CANDIDATE FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS?
Now, if you’re wondering “am I a candidate for dental implants?”, there are some factors that need to be considered. First, are you missing any teeth? Dental implants are designed to replace missing teeth. If you are missing at least one tooth, implants may be an option for you.
Next, consider your age. While there are no age limits to getting dental implants, you can be too young for them. Because the implant post is attached directly to the jaw, it’s important that development is near complete before having this procedure done.
Other factors you may consider are how healthy you are and whether or not you smoke. Smoking has several adverse health effects and slows the healing process. Likewise, those in poor health also struggle to heal properly. These things will need to be addressed before your Reno oral surgeon can proceed with dental implant treatments.
