What to know About Dental Implants

If you are reading this article you may already have an issue or problem with your oral health. Either you have lost a tooth or possibly even more than one. Maybe you are expecting to have an extraction and you are beginning to research your options. A dental implant is indeed the correct avenue to head down. You’ve heard this statement a time or two, “don’t Band-Aid the problem, fix it permanently”. So often we cut corners to save a buck or don’t put value into the issue at hand. With a tooth replacement there are many very personal issues in play. Your eating habits, your ability to bite and chew, your entire facial bone structure, and saving the best to last, your SMILE!

Here are the Facts

Dental implants have been around for over 60 years! They are very safe, AND very permanent. They have a 95% success rate in lasting 40 years. Of course, this depends on the quality of the implant and the quality of your oral hygiene. A dental implant is a small titanium post drilled into your jawbone. After fusing to your bone, literally becoming part of it, a small abutment is placed over the post to prepare your implant for the final step, the placement of the porcelain enamel prosthetic tooth. This artificial tooth will look and feel like the rest of your real teeth. It literally will become a clone of your missing tooth.

Many, many Benefits.

We mentioned your eating habits earlier and this is certainly the case. Your bite force is almost exactly the same. In fact, maybe better if you had a cracked tooth extracted. The implants serve a huge benefit when it comes to your root and bone density. Without the replacement you will lose both root and jawbone mass. Implants can help protect the balance of your healthy teeth. By leaving the gap from the extracted tooth you can subject the remaining teeth to undue pressures, etc. Wait! We haven’t mentioned your smile yet! Research has proven that the quality of your smile can have a huge impact on the quality of your life. Simply look in the mirror and see if the gap is visible in your smile. If it is you will soon become self-conscious of your smile and it will change your self-perception, your self-esteem and your level of confidence. Wow! All from one missing tooth!

Is it for Me?

A very subjective question that only you can answer. Although not inexpensive, implants can be financed through your dental office. Then think about amortizing that cost over the next 30-40 years and your quality of life and that implant suddenly becomes pretty darn economical. It would be very wise to have a professional opinion before you decide to proceed and make sure your cosmetic dentist of choice is qualified to give you a life changing dental implant. Take a minute, walk down the street and count the smiles you encounter. Wouldn’t you like yours to be the best!

Ready to start your journey to a beautiful new smile with Dental Implants? Contact Iowa Dental Group Today!