Why Choose Dental Implants

Why Dental Implants are Your Best Teeth Replacement Option

There’s absolutely nothing like our natural teeth, but the truth is, most of us will lose a tooth, for one reason or another, as we age. In fact, approximately 125 million Americans are missing at least one tooth and excellent candidates for dental implants.

We know that missing a tooth can lead to feelings of anxiety and embarrassment, and if this describes you, you are clearly not alone. We have many worthy teeth replacement options available today, but dental implants have become revolutionary for both patients and doctors.

Dental implants are made of three components: a titanium post, an abutment, and a crown. The post is the actual implant that is screwed into the jawbone, and the crown is the visible part of the replacement tooth. An abutment connects the crown to the post. Multiple crowns and even full arches can be supported by two, four, or more implants.

Several significant factors make dental implants today’s most preferred teeth replacement method.

1. Implants operate as natural teeth.

Since dental implants are made of titanium—a metal that is biocompatible with bone—they have the rare ability to fuse with your jaw, acting as roots and anchoring your new tooth to your jawbone, much like the structure of natural teeth. Our highly trained doctors place implants during a routine procedure, and as the implant screw continues to integrate with the bone over time, the implant will feel and look completely natural and even indistinguishable from your other teeth. Thanks to the complete fusion of the implant to your jaw, your new tooth will not slip or shift position like dentures do.

2. Implants can last a lifetime.

The stability that results once an implant fully integrates with the jawbone makes them the most valuable teeth replacement option in the long run. While we cannot guarantee that implants last forever, with proper care, they have the potential to last a lifetime.

3. Implants provide structure for adjacent teeth.

Did you know that most tooth replacement methods require the new tooth to rely on its neighbor? Bridges depend on adjacent teeth for support, and partial dentures occasionally cause stress on neighboring teeth and make them susceptible to decay. Quite the contrary for dental implants! Self-sufficient as they stand alone, implants help protect their neighbors by carrying their own load and aiding in the maintenance of jaw health (See #4 for details.)

4. Implants promote jaw health.

Your jawbone begins to lose its mass the moment you lose a tooth due to lack of stimulation. Living tissue, such as bone, requires stimulation (which teeth provide during chewing) to rebuild itself and stay healthy. When a jaw is left untreated after losing a tooth, it will begin to deteriorate, making it more difficult to place an implant in the future. Faces begin to take on an aged look prematurely and jaws become susceptible to fractures if many teeth are lost and not replaced. The prevention of bone mass deterioration is an advantage offered by no other teeth replacement method.

5. Implants are easy, requiring no extra maintenance.

Perhaps, the most convenient benefit of dental implants is that they require only the same type of care you give your natural teeth—brushing twice and flossing once daily. Simply keep up on regular cleanings by your dentist, like you do for your natural teeth, and your implants will remain in good shape. While dentures require special creams, adhesives and overnight soaking, good oral hygiene and regular visits to one of our offices is all that is needed to maintain optimal oral health and to avoid gum disease.

Dental implants are, without question, your best teeth replacement option when it comes to safety, aesthetics, and simplicity. Truly a game changer, they allow you to eat, speak, and smile with full confidence. For more information regarding the gold standard for replacing missing teeth, call one of our 10 convenient locations from Athens, GA to Atlanta, GA.