Your teeth are vital to your overall dental health. They keep your other teeth in place and help with speaking and chewing. Your teeth are also part of your smile — one of the first things people notice about you. So if you’re missing one or more of your teeth, you might be looking for the best replacement option.
Dental treatments have come a long way, and you have a number of options to replace your missing teeth. While you might be familiar with bridges and partial or full dentures, modern dentistry provides an even better treatment: dental implants. The team at Dental Town DC explains why dental implants are the gold standard in tooth replacement.
Dental implants 101
Dental implants are metal posts that are surgically placed into your jaw, in the exact position of your missing tooth. These posts are made of titanium and act as an anchor for replacement teeth that are custom-made to match your natural tooth color and size.
How are dental implants placed?
Our care team first takes an impression of your mouth to create a model that shows the exact shape and size of each tooth. Our dentist then surgically places the new titanium tooth root implant into the bone where you’re missing a tooth. The jawbone heals over the metal post, which helps to secure it in place. It can take 6-12 weeks for the jawbone to recover fully.
The next step requires a small connector post, call an abutment, to be attached to the post. The abutment holds the replacement tooth. You might be given a temporary crown or bridge until your mouth is fully healed. The last step is to affix your new tooth — custom-made to match your natural teeth — onto the secure post.
Gold standard treatment
Here are a few reasons dental implants are considered the gold standard treatment for missing teeth:
Improves oral health
Dental implants don’t require your dentist to change the shape of your other teeth, which is what is what bridges and partial dentures often require. Allowing your other teeth to remain intact is better for overall dental health.
Boosts self-esteem
Dental implants look and feel just like your natural teeth. This means you feel like your old self — or better — in no time.
Easy care
Regular brushing, flossing, and dental checkups keep your mouth healthy. Once you’re fully healed and your dental implants are in place, you care for your dental implants just as you care for your natural teeth.
Comfortable chewing
Dentures and bridges tend to slip and slide when you chew. This movement can create sore spots on your gums and even make chewing downright painful. Dental implants function like your natural teeth, so eating should be natural and comfortable.
Natural speech
Have you ever noticed someone with dentures struggle to keep them in place? Not only can this be embarrassing, but it also can make speech awkward. You might mumble or slur your words. With dental implants, you can speak with confidence, as if you had 100% of your natural teeth.
Unmatched durability
If you take good care of your dental implants, they can last for years to come. In fact, some implants last a lifetime.
Successful treatment
Dental implants boast a 98% success rate. This means once you get through the process of having your implants placed, you’re on the road to a healthy and complete smile.
If you’re ready to learn if dental implants are the best solution for your missing teeth, give our Washington, DC, office a call or book an appointment online today.