Benefits of Implants over Other Cosmetic Procedures Many adults face the problem of missing teeth. For years, dentures and bridges were the treatment of choice and patients had to come to terms with the often painful, embarrassing, and uncomfortable results. Dental implants offer a more natural, comfortable and long-term alternative that you should consider. Problems with Dentures and Dental Bridges Today, bridges, full, or partial dentures are all-too-common treatments for replacing teeth. However, each of these options can cause problems for you. Bridges rely on healthy teeth for support, adjacent teeth often must be ground down. The adjacent, healthy teeth often later have problems of their own, creating new and costly dental work. Bridges also require a high-degree of maintenance, often having to be replaced within five to ten years. Although dentures are usually the least expensive treatment option for missing teeth, they can be uncomfortable, difficult to maintain, and can pose many problems for you. They are often uncomfortable and can fall out during eating or activities, causing embarrassment. Removable dentures can also cause sores in the mouth which can be painful. It is necessary to remove dentures at night for cleaning and to keep them in place with adhesives which can be a hassle. Because they are much less efficient than normal teeth, certain foods such as fruit and nuts must be avoided with dentures. Speaking is more difficult and less natural with dentures and, as a removable device, dentures can be easily misplaced. Because neither bridges nor dentures stimulate bone growth, patients may experience extreme bone loss over time, giving them an older and less attractive appearance. Dental implants are a permanent, long-term solution for patients missing one, multiple, or all of their teeth. With dental implants, you can eat normal foods and, because implants are self-supportive, there is no need to damage your remaining natural teeth. Unlike dentures or bridges, implants stimulate bone growth just like natural teeth and never have to be removed. They are comfortable, attractive and promote a healthy jawbone. Why Replace Missing Teeth with Dental Implants Missing teeth have detrimental effects on both your oral health and aesthetic appearance. It Makes You Feel More Self-Conscious About Your Appearance People with missing teeth often struggle in social situations, hiding their teeth and avoiding smiling, which might keep them from getting a job or making a friendship. Missing teeth also make people look older and changes the overall shape of the face overtime. It Lowers Your Self-Esteem Missing teeth make it difficult to chew, speak and smile, worsening your appearance and lowering your self esteem. Missing teeth cause people to feel older and less attractive, making them less likely to be social or to participate in activities with others. A good, strong set of teeth, results in renewed confidence and the ability to restore a healthy lifestyle. It Is Bad For Your Health When a tooth is missing, a gap is left in the gum and additional pressure is placed on the remaining healthy teeth; this causes the healthy teeth to be pushed at an angle, causing additional sideways pressure, pushing on the gum and bone, and in time causing the healthy teeth to come loose. Healthy teeth are necessary for a healthy gum and jawbone. Open spaces in the gum also increase the chances of gum disease and tooth decay. Missing teeth can weaken the jawbone. When teeth are lost, the supporting jawbone loses bone density and continues to shrink as long as the tooth is missing. Overtime, the jawbone becomes visibly smaller and weaker. It Makes It Difficult to Eat Certain Foods People with missing teeth are often only able to chew soft foods and are forced to avoid harder foods that they used to enjoy. Single Dental Implant Solutions for One Missing Tooth If you are missing a single tooth due to disease or trauma, it can be easily replaced with a single dental implant. To replace a single tooth, a self-supporting dental implant is placed at the site of the missing tooth consisting of a titanium base, an abutment post and a crown or replacement tooth that will look and feel like a natural tooth. Dental Implants vs. Traditional Dental Bridge A single dental implant is now considered the standard of care for those missing a single tooth. Unfortunately, most dentists are not trained in the placement of dental implants, so the most commonly used solution is a fixed dental bridge. This approach involves grinding down the two surrounding healthy teeth, so that they may act as anchors for a three unit bridge (three artificial teeth) that is then cemented onto the two surrounding teeth The damage to the structure of the surrounding teeth is permanent. Further, statistics reveal that these damaged teeth eventually fail due to the stresses placed on them by the bridge. The result is the eventual loss of those teeth and an even longer bridge. A single dental implant offers a vastly superior solution because it restores the lost tooth root, and surrounding healthy teeth remain unharmed. Your natural tooth root helps maintain bone density, but when you have the unfortunate occurrence of losing a tooth, the bone will deteriorate overtime. Since dental implants integrate with existing bone, your jaw structure remains intact and your oral health is preserved. In many cases, a single dental implant and an attached temporary crown can be placed in one day. However, this reduces the long term success rate from 99% to about 90%. The preferred approach is to place the dental implant and allow it to bond to the bone for 3 to 4 months before placing a permanent implant crown. Multiple Dental Implants Multiple dental implants are ideal for those missing several teeth, especially in a row. With the loss of multiple teeth, it is crucial to replace the missing teeth in order to prevent bone deterioration and facial structure collapse. Dental implants are now considered the standard of care for those missing several teeth. Multiple dental implants offer a vastly superior solution because they restore the lost roots, probably using fewer implants than you think. It is commonly not necessary to use an implant to replace each tooth. Often three or more teeth can be replaced with only two implants. Plus, the surrounding healthy teeth are unharmed. When restoring multiple missing teeth, two or more dental implants are placed. The patient then wears a temporary removable appliance known as a "flipper" that acts as replacement teeth during the healing period. This typically lasts from 4 to 6 months, during which the implants bond securely to the bone. Then, the fixed replacement teeth can be attached and the procedure is complete. In some cases, immediate load implants restored right away can minimize the healing period and avoid the necessity of a flipper.