When you lose a tooth, or if you will soon because you need an extraction, it is only natural to start thinking about your options for tooth restoration. After all, your teeth are important to you and you want to be able to comfortably chew, speak, and smile for the rest of your life.

Dental implants are easily the superior tooth restoration option available today. They have grown rapidly in popularity over the past few decades and even over the last several years. There is good reason for this – they offer numerous advantages that dentures and bridges just can’t compete with.

But the bottom line is that dental implants do a better job mimicking your natural teeth than anything else out there. Here are some specific ways in which they do that.

1. Dental Implants Look Just Like “Real” Teeth

Attached to the top of the implant rod proper is a modern dental crown, which will closely mimic the exact color and shade of your lost tooth.

Your periodontist can literally color-match the crown to your existing and surrounding teeth. He or she can ensure the crown mimics the shape and contours of the lost tooth too – even if you no longer have that tooth. This is due to the availability of high-tech imaging equipment, X-rays, and data on teeth in general and on your teeth, in particular, that is utilized by modern computer technology.

The bottom line is that the replacement tooth will simply blend in with the other teeth around it. Your smile will look as good as new!

2. Dental Implants Feel Like Natural Teeth

One of the main complaints people often have against dentures is that they feel uncomfortable and unnatural in one’s mouth. They can rub against the gums, causing sores and even bleeding.

But with dental implants, you might just forget you have them in your mouth because they feel just like natural teeth! There is no metal for your tongue to touch as with dental bridges.

And the implant is embedded into your alveolar bone mass rather than resting on and potentially irritating the gums like removable dentures often do.

3. Implants Function Like Your Original Teeth

Probably the most important benefit of dental implants, however, is the way they function. People with dentures often have trouble chewing, swallowing, and speaking normally. But implants help you avoid all of those difficulties.

There are several reasons why implants work so much better as to functionality. Here are the main ones:

• The metal implant rod is strong and stable in your mouth. It won’t slip on you like removable dentures can.
• The implant rod is made of titanium, which fuses firmly to the bone in a process called osseointegration. That means you can bite down normally when chewing without fear of any problems.
• The dental crown fixed to the implant rod exactly fits in the hole left by your missing tooth. Air is not going to whistle weirdly around it. It’s not going to affect your ability to properly pronounce syllables.

You won’t have trouble chewing steak or other meats or with any kind of food with dental implants. And your speech will not at all be impaired. Dental implants really do work just like regular teeth.

4. You Care For Implants Just Like Other Teeth

One of the most tedious and undesirable aspects of removable dentures and dental bridges – the two other major tooth restoration options, is that they are difficult to clean and care for.

It’s easy for food particles to get stuck around or under your bridges or between your dentures and your gums. And you have to use special cleaning instruments and substances. You may even need adhesive to keep the upper and/or lower denture in place during the day.

But dental implants cause none of those problems. You simply care for them the same way as your natural teeth. Brush and floss and use an antiseptic mouth rinse.

You may need an occasional checkup, but there is usually no issue because dental implants are not more prone to dental problems than ordinary teeth. In fact, they are less prone to them since they obviously cannot get a cavity.

5. Dental Implants Can Last a Lifetime

You generally need new dentures every few years. They have to be refitted to your mouth. But dental implants can last for decades, even for a lifetime. And there is no need to “re-do” them every few years like dentures. It’s a one time deal.

You can have dental implants installed in only a couple of dental visits or even same-day in a single visit. They have a 99% success rate. And you normally never need to deal with them again other than ordinary dental hygiene and occasional dental checkups. That’s far superior to other tooth restoration methods and basically means that dental implants last just like regular teeth do.

You may be interested in hearing more about modern dental implants. To learn more about how they work and about their many benefits, contact Ormond Beach Periodontics & Implant Dentistry today for a free consultation or to schedule an in-office appointment!