Benjamin Franklin once said that in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes. He should have added missing teeth to this list.
According to the CDC, 69% of Americans will have lost a permanent tooth between the ages of 35 to 44. And by the age of 50, the average adult can expect to have 32% percent fewer teeth. (Most adults have 32 permanent teeth. Even if 4 wisdom teeth get extracted, that leaves quite a few more opportunities for losing permanent teeth.
So, at some point in our lives, the chances of losing a permanent tooth are pretty good.
Losing a tooth can happen in many ways. Tooth decay, a sports injury, gum disease, a broken crown, an accident are just some of the ways it can happen. Sadly, based on the current statistics, it’s not if it happens, but when it happens.
When you lose a tooth, there are 2 big considerations.
- Don’t wait too long to replace it – the sooner the better!
- Pick the right replacement option for you – you have 4 choices!
While there are different options to replace a missing tooth, such as a bridge, or dentures, dental implants are now the most requested dental treatment to replace a missing tooth. Nearly 5 million implants were placed in the U.S. last year, according to the American Dental Association.
So, why are implants so popular? Because they look, feel and function like your missing tooth.
5 Reasons for Dental Implants to Replace Your Tooth!
- Prevent Bone Loss – Your body relies on the health of your bones, and so do your teeth. A strong, dense jaw bone supports your teeth. It holds them in place. A missing tooth can trigger bone loss in your jaw. The missing gap in your mouth no longer has another tooth to make contact with. Whenever you chew your food, it actually stimulates and supports the bone of your jaw, just like exercise helps you maintain muscle. The longer you wait to replace a missing tooth causes the gap in your mouth begins to deteriorate the jawbone in this location, which will begin weakening the neighboring teeth too. Because implants mimic the shape and strength of your natural tooth roots they help preserve the density of the jawbone, preventing bone loss.
- Better Functionality = Improved Health Benefits – Dental implants offer more than a cosmetic enhancement. They’ll also restore your ability to bite and chew foods with confidence, just like a natural tooth. You can jump back into a healthy diet without worrying about avoiding foods that are difficult to chew, like many fresh fruits and vegetables. Not having a limited diet will improve your options for getting enough protein, vitamins, and minerals back in your daily diet. You want have any discomfort eating foods again, and it’ll help you stay healthier overall.
- Keep Teeth Stable + Healthy – Because a dental implant is rooted, it supports itself, so it doesn’t need the support of any surrounding teeth. Dental implants will also help keep neighboring teeth stable, and they won’t impact their health, unlike other options. Bridges use two adjacent teeth in order to fill in a missing space. This sometimes requires shaving down a healthy surrounding tooth so that the bridge can properly close the gap. Partial dentures also rely on other, healthy teeth for support. This can can sometimes lead to gum issues, like gum disease, and the dentures can also place excessive force on the other natural teeth.
- Durability + Longevity – Dental implants are virtually as strong as the natural tooth they replace. Dentures will require frequent adjustments, bridges can last about 5 to 10 years, but implants can last a lifetime with proper care and maintenance. While implants are considered a permanent tooth replacement it doesn’t mean they always last forever. But they can last 25 years (and sometimes even longer) when they’re taken care of properly. Depending on your personal circumstances, you may never have to worry about replacing your dental implant at all after you get the procedure.
- Comfort + Maintenance – -Taking care of your dental implant is as easy as brushing and flossing. You don’t have to take your implant out and brush it separately or soak it in any type of cleanser. Dental implants are also known for their comfort. In fact, many patients say that they’ve forgotten that they even have one because their implant looks, feels, and functions like their natural teeth.
How Dental Implants Work
A dental implant is a replacement tooth with an artificial root. The implant procedure places a titanium screw into your jaw bone, which bonds with your bone and then provides a sturdy anchor from which to add an artificial tooth, like a porcelain crown. Dental implants can be used to replace one or more missing teeth.
If you’re a good candidate for implants, and you wish to have them, we will refer you to an implant placing specialist, who will surgically install the abutment that will be used to fasten your brand new tooth. Following 4 to 6 months of your healing time, you will return to our office so that we can complete your implants procedure by fastening your custom designed crown to the abutment.
A missing tooth affects more than the look of your smile. If you would like to learn more about dental implants, and determine whether you’re a good candidate for this treatment, please call (206) 242-0066 to schedule an implants consultation or request an appointment online.
P.S. Here’s a Patient Testimonial on Why She Chose Dental Implants!
