Missing Teeth? Dental Implants Might Be Your Best Option

Your Best Option: With today’s dental implants, people who have lost several – or even all – of their teeth finally have a permanent alternative to dentures. No more taking out your dentures at the end of the day, hoping no one shows up at the door for an evening visit. No more having to soak and clean your dentures at the end of the day. And no more worries about your dentures loosening or even falling out when you eat your favourite foods.

Implants – Just Like Your Natural Teeth

Dental implants function like your natural teeth. Here’s why.

During the implantation procedure, your dentist will insert an artificial root into your jawbone. Since the implant is made from non-reactive titanium, your body won’t reject it, nor will it break down over time.

In fact, as time passes, new jawbone will form, wrapping around the new root, just as if you had grown a brand-new tooth. Using that root as a support, the dentist will create a crown or bridge, giving you a new tooth or set of teeth that not only work like your original teeth but will look amazing, too. Other benefits include:

• Clearer speech
• Boosted self-esteem
• The ability to eat whatever you like
• Less hassle, more time
• A lasting solution to the challenge of missing teeth

What Do I Risk If I Stay with Dentures?

Besides the extra time and hassle of taking your dentures in and out, there’s a real danger of jawbone atrophy underneath your gum line. Over time, this deterioration can change the shape of your jaw, causing you to look older than you actually are. If you have other remaining natural teeth, this bone loss can cause them to shift out of place.

What’s Involved in Dental Implant Surgery?

Before the surgery itself, you’ll need a thorough oral health evaluation. To ensure a successful surgery, your dentist will take three-dimensional images, X-rays, and other models that give them a comprehensive picture of your remaining teeth, gums, and jaws.

Patience is a must. Preparation can take weeks to months. Dentists need to remove any damaged teeth, and they might even need to graft healthy bone onto your natural jaw to strengthen it.

The implant procedure itself will be relatively painless. Whether you choose local anaesthesia with sedation or general anaesthesia, you’ll be completely comfortable. Afterwards, your dentist might prescribe pain medication, if needed, as you recover. Most patients need only over-the-counter medication to relieve post-surgical discomfort.

After you heal from the surgery, your dentist will place an abutment and artificial tooth onto the implant, completing the procedure. As your jawbone grows around your new teeth, be sure to nurture them with proper nutrition and a regular dental hygiene regimen.

To learn more about how dental implants can help you enjoy better oral health, the expert team of dentists at Integrity Dental can help. Get in touch with us today – and get back to living life with a natural set of teeth.