The Benefits of Dental Implants
Even with vast improvements in American dental care, millions of patients still suffer from tooth loss – mostly due to tooth decay, gum disease (gingivitis), or dental injury. Previously, the only treatment options for missing teeth were bridges and dentures.
Today, dental implants offer a lot of benefits over traditional dentures, bridges, crowns, and fillings.
What is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant is a total replacement of a tooth or set of teeth. Years of tooth decay and disease will leave the teeth damaged or destroyed, requiring a ‘post’ or anchor be placed in the gumline & jawbone and allowed to heal. Later, a ‘cap’ is added to the post and this forms your new tooth.
These cap-and-post implants provide a strong foundation for fixed or removable teeth that are designed to match your natural teeth and mimic your original teeth in form and function.
What are the benefits of Dental Implants?
- Improved Facial Appearance – dental implants are designed to look and feel like your natural teeth. They can even match your existing tooth color. The implants are fused with your bone, so they become permanent attachments to your mouth.
- Improved Speech – Unlike poor-fitting dentures, permanent dental implants can stop any slurred speech caused by the dentures slipping and the constant maintenance needed to keep dentures cleaned and correctly placed.
- Eating – Most dental implant patients talk most longingly about the foods they were once able to eat. Fortunately, dental implants function like your own teeth, allowing you to eat your food without any pain. You’ll forget they are even there.
- Durability – Dental implants are extremely durable and will last many years. If you take care of your implants, they can last a lifetime.
- Convenience – Dental implants eliminate the need to remove your dentures or add adhesive to keep them in place. No nightly cleanings, no misplacing your teeth. Regain the time lost due to dentures with dental implants.
Call our Portland oral surgeons today if you are interested in learning more about how dental implants can help allow you to eat, smile and laugh freely again. You’ll receive a personalized consultation based on your specific needs and oral history.
