1100 N. Sherman Ave., Suite 103
Naperville, IL 60563
Naperville, IL 60563
As a solution to replacing missing teeth, the benefits of dental implants are many.
There is no restorative treatment in modern dentistry more serviceable to patients than dental implants. They function as beautiful and long-lived replacements for missing teeth or groups of teeth, and provide a host of benefits over other current methods. Whether your concern is aesthetics, function, permanence, or bone preservation, dental implants offer unmatched benefits.
Unlike removable dentures, which have a habit of falling out when you least want or expect them to, creating embarrassment, pain and damage, dental implants are more permanent. A post fits into the jawbone, just like a regular natural tooth root, holding the crown above in place. You’re free to chew, speak, and relax at social gatherings, just as you would if the implant was one of your natural teeth.
Dentures tend to wear out over time. The continual rubbing and grinding against teeth and gums limit their life, forcing you to replace them periodically. Dental implants, by contrast, are semi-permanent and designed to last many years.
Dental implants are made of titanium rods that are fitted into the jawbone and fuse with it slowly over a few months. Titanium is a popular medical metal because it does not interact with the body’s immune system or cause allergic reactions.
Dentists often advise patients that a dental implant can last a decade or more. Many, however, find that with the proper care, their implants last a lifetime.
While dentures are a cost-effective option for restoring your smile, they can affect your speech because some dentures are build on a large piece of acrylic that sits on the top of your mouth. The extra material can interfere with the movement of the tongue, preventing you from saying particular letters and sounds in the way that sounds like your normal speech.
Dental implants avoid problems like these because they perfectly mimic the shape of natural teeth. From the point of view of elocution, dental implants do not put you at a disadvantage.
Tooth-supported bridges require the reducing of surrounding teeth. Over time, this can damage natural teeth, leading to oral health problems in the future.
Dental implants, by contrast, do not require the reduction of other teeth since they are self-supporting. Hence, dental implants could lead to better overall long-term oral health.
Chewing normally with a denture can present a challenge. Not only do you have to be careful with the amount of force that you apply, but you also have to avoid particular foods, especially those that are sticky or chewy.
By contrast, dental implants place no restrictions on how hard you can bite or what you can eat. You can apply a physiologically-normal amount of chewing force to your food and experience no adverse consequences. In short, it’s just like having your regular, natural teeth back.
While they can be fitted to be as comfortable as possible, that can change over time. They have a tendency to move around in the mouth, rubbing on delicate tissues like the gum and the inside of the cheek.
Furthermore, you also need to clip dentures into place every time you want to wear them, which may cause some people discomfort.
The same is not true, however, of dental implants.
Dental implants use a titanium rod that fixes directly to the bone. The rod prevents any movement of the crown above, just like a regular, healthy tooth root, cutting down on the risk of discomfort. Implants are essentially a new part of your mouth, and patients are able to forget they are there.
While dentures fill in the gaps between your teeth, they can look artificial. Dental implants, on the other hand, do not.
When dentists make your dental implants, they create crowns designed to look just the same as your regular teeth. To the untrained eye, it is almost impossible to tell the difference between an implant and a natural tooth. Porcelain implant crown technology mimics that natural appearance of your teeth.
Wearing a denture often lowers one’s confidence, especially in social situations. Patients often worry that their dentures might fall out at any time, causing them embarrassment.
While denture cement has improved in recent years, there’s nothing quite like the peace of mind that dental implants give you.
Rarely does a dental implant fail. Just like regular teeth, they won’t fall out under normal circumstances, giving you more confidence, whatever you do in life.
The body works on a “use it or lose it” basis. What that means is that if you don’t use a particular part of it, it will slowly weaken over time.
We see this all the time in untrained athletes. Once they stop training, they go through a period of deconditioning where their muscles shrink. Their bodies no longer feel the need to expend energy to maintain them, so they get smaller.
A similar thing happens in the mouth. If you have a lot of missing teeth, you no longer transmit chewing forces through your teeth to your jaw and the surrounding structures. This lack of pressure can cause the muscles in the face and jawbone to atrophy.
Dental implants, therefore, help to support your facial structure. By providing a force transmission mechanism, they help you use chewing forces to signal to your body to keep your jaw and jaw muscles strong, supporting your facial structure.
While the upfront cost of implants is higher than other forms of tooth replacement, the lifetime costs are actually lower than alternatives, like dentures.
The reason for this has to do with how long they last. A single implant can last decades if looked after correctly, bringing the lifetime cost of tooth replacement down.
Dentures and bridges are notoriously difficult to care for. Dental implants, on the other hand, are easy.
Looking after a dental implant is the same as taking care of your regular teeth. Brushing twice every day and flossing regularly will keep them sparkling clean and in good condition over the long term.
Remember, dental implants, like natural teeth, can attract plaque, so make sure that you get them cleaned regularly.
The longer a gap is left in your mouth, the harder it will be to return your smile to full health. If you are missing one or more teeth, contact Sherman Oaks Dental in Naperville today to schedule a consultation. One of our experienced implant dentists will examine your mouth and discuss whether dental implants are right for you.