Have you lost teeth? Are you ready to fill the gaps in your smile and return to a more natural eating and speaking experience? Your dentist in Okotoks will describe all your options for replacing missing teeth, ranging from removable partial dentures to bridges to implant-supported restorations. Many people in recent years have discovered that dental implants are far superior to those other alternatives. Here are four reasons why.
Implant-supported restorations restore the entire tooth
Yes, you have solutions to replace a missing tooth or missing teeth other than implants. But here’s a key distinction to keep in mind. Alternatives like a traditional bridge or partial denture replace your missing tooth but do nothing to replace the missing root of your tooth. An artificial tooth supported by a traditional bridge or partial denture restores some function. You may always feel tentative when eating, smiling, or laughing because the bridge or denture is unstable, insecure, and loose — or it feels that way because you’re so self-conscious.
An implant will replace the missing tooth once an abutment and restoration are attached, but it actually replaces your missing tooth’s root. A replacement tooth, bridge, or denture connected to an implant doesn’t float on your gums but is planted securely in the bone of your jaw itself. Because the implant is planted in your jaw, it will be and feel as stable and secure as a natural tooth. Once fit with dental implants in Okotoks, you’ll no longer have any reason to feel tentative or live tentatively.
Dental implants have a 95% success rate
The discovery of the process of osseointegration in the early 1950s was a significant breakthrough in the development of dental implants as a solution for tooth loss. A researcher looking into blood flow in the bones of rabbits discovered that titanium fused completely with natural bone tissue. For that reason, your dentist in Okotoks places titanium posts into your jaw tissue to permanently solve the loss of your tooth or teeth.
Implants improve the health of your jaw
The fact that implants from a dentist near you replace your tooth’s root is important for reasons beyond mere stability and confidence. The loss of tooth roots in your jaw can cause the tissue in your jaw to deteriorate and lose volume and density. Over time, that deterioration and loss of volume and density can weaken your jaw and even change the appearance of your face. Biocompatible implants made of titanium reverse that deterioration process by stimulating the growth of new bone tissue. Not only will you have a new and fully functional tooth, but you’ll also have a healthier and stronger jaw.
You don’t have to settle for just a third of normal dental function
For decades, removable dentures have been a popular option for replacing multiple missing teeth. While dentures are a practical and economical solution, they’re only a partial one. Because a denture only sits on your gums and is not firmly rooted in your jaw, a denture only restores roughly one-third of your ability to chew naturally. Dental implants received through a dentist in Okotoks can do much better than that. Implant-supported dentures restore up to three-quarters of your natural dental function. That’s the difference between giving up most of your favourite meals and foods, and being able to enjoy almost all of them.
To obtain confirmation that dental implants are appropriate for your dental condition and needs, arrange an appointment with a dentist near you for a thorough assessment and consultation.