Dental implants integrate with your jawbone, making them sturdy and long-lasting. They can replace a single tooth, several teeth, or support removable or fixed dentures.The best dental implants are very close in appearance and function to natural teeth. They can prevent social stigma that often results from missing teeth, and they allow you to smile confidently and eat comfortably.
Your dentist will review your medical history to ensure you are a candidate for this surgery. People with certain health conditions or habits may not be good candidates.
They Look and Feel Like Natural Teeth
Dental implants also help stimulate the bone in the jaw, which keeps it strong and healthy. This helps prevent other nearby teeth from shifting and weakening, which can lead to other problems.
Like any surgical procedure, dental implant surgery may result in pain and swelling, which can usually be managed with over-the-counter drugs such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Your dentist or surgeon can prescribe stronger pain medications if needed. You should brush your dental implants at least twice a day and floss regularly to keep them in good condition.
They Restore Full Chewing Power
Dental implants restore your full chewing power, allowing you to eat the foods you enjoy without pain or discomfort. This is not possible with dentures, which often irritate the gum tissue and interfere with proper oral hygiene.
Implants also stimulate the bone, keeping it healthy and strong. This is critical for continued bone health and to prevent further deterioration of the jaw. Other replacements, like dentures, may not provide this stimulation and can actually erode the underlying bone.
Your dentist will determine whether you are a good candidate for dental implants during a consultation. They will review your health history and examine your mouth, jaw, and teeth to ensure you have enough healthy bone to support an implant. Certain chronic conditions, like diabetes and long-term steroid use, can slow down healing and integration and should be addressed before getting an implant.
They Prevent Other Teeth from Shifting Out of Place
As the most conservative tooth replacement solution, dental implants don’t cause any negative stress or pressure on neighboring natural teeth. This helps prevent the bone loss and shifting that occurs after a missing tooth.
Your dentist will recommend a thorough medical evaluation before starting any implant procedure. This is to make sure that you don’t have health conditions that can prevent the implants from healing and integrating with the jawbone properly.
Chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, long-term steroid use, and previous radiation therapy can all interfere with the healing of the implant site. Likewise, bad habits like smoking or drinking too much alcohol can decrease blood flow to the gums, slowing healing and reducing your chances of successful implant placement. So, talk to your Billerica dentist about developing healthy oral hygiene habits before getting dental implants.
They Support the Structure of Your Face
Unlike dentures, dental implants are anchored in the jawbone. This enables them to restore full chewing power and prevent the bone deterioration that results in sunken facial appearance.
In addition, dental implants stimulate the jawbone, which keeps it strong and healthy. They also prevent the bone resorption that can cause the other teeth to shift out of place.
Moreover, dental implants can restore the natural shape of your face, which improves your self-esteem and confidence. However, the success of dental implant depends on various factors, including your general health and the status of your teeth and jawbones. Therefore, you should visit a dentist who specializes in this procedure to avoid complications. For instance, uncontrolled chronic conditions and certain medications can hinder healing and prevent successful integration of the implant.
They Improve Your Speech
If you’ve ever had a tooth removed and replaced with dentures, then you know that it can take time to adjust to speaking with new “teeth.” In many cases, slurring and other changes in natural speech patterns are unavoidable.
Dental implants eliminate these problems, as they provide a solid foundation for artificial teeth that mimic the structure of your natural ones. They also prevent deterioration of the jawbone that causes shifting, crooked teeth and other issues that affect your oral health.
It can take a little while to adapt to talking with your new implants, but with practice, you will learn to pronounce sounds clearly. In addition, it may help to stick with soft foods for a while and gradually reintroduce harder ones as your mouth heals.