Dental Implants - 4 Reasons They Are Preferable To Dentures

If you have lost teeth, your dentist will probably bring up full or partial dentures as a method of restoring your function and appearance. While dentures can be the right path to take in many circumstances, dental implants can often provide a superior method of replacing your teeth and giving you back the form and function of your natural teeth. The process is expensive, however, so the procedure is not for everyone. If you have the money, it is certainly something to consider. Here are four reasons they might be considered preferable to dentures.

Protection Against Bone Loss

When you lose a tooth, the jaw bone loses much of its reason to exist. Without the stimulation that comes with the integrity of the tooth's root being embedded, the jaw bone will start to disintegrate. This isn't a quick process, but it will happen. When it does, your face will actually begin to lose its well defined shape, other teeth may begin to shift, and your appearance can quickly deteriorate. If you've ever wondered why people with missing teeth begin to lose shape and form in their mouth's region, this is the reason. Dental implants include an artificial root which can help protect against this undesirable effect.

Saving The Other Teeth

This won't be a concern to you if you've had all your teeth extracted, but if you've only lost a single tooth, it should be of paramount importance. It may surprise you to learn that replacements such as partial dentures can actually damage the adjacent teeth. This is not the case with the alternative, which don't rely on these teeth for their placement. If you're concerned with protecting the health of your other teeth, this should be something you carefully consider before making your decision.

Long-Lasting

Crowns and bridges, often the first line of defense when it comes to tooth loss, aren't meant to be permanent. In a best case scenario, you might get ten years out of them. In more likely cases, that time span will be closer to five years. Implemented by a good dentist with a great deal of skill, there is little reason why dental implants can't last for the rest of your life. You may not get a guarantee in writing for this time frame, but there is little doubt that they will last longer than any other form of replacement.

More Natural

Patients new to dentures often complain about their unnatural feel. They can make eating difficult and many are put off by their removable status. Dental implants look and function in a way that much more closely resembles your natural teeth, which is a big selling point for many patients.