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Dental Implants: Key Facts Patients Should Know
[ssba]Dental Implants: Key Facts Patients Should Know
A beautiful, healthy smile: it is something we all strive for, but if you have suffered adult tooth loss, it can feel like an impossible dream. Not only do we view missing teeth as unattractive, but gaps in your smile can cause further oral health problems, including tooth migration and digestion problems resulting from food not being fully chewed. Due to these reasons and more, Access Dental Care in Reno, NV sees many patients seeking dentures.
However, we want patients to know that if they are suffering from tooth loss, dentures are not their only option. Now, permanent dental implants are an alternative that work for most patients. Strong and stable, implants blend right in with your natural teeth in appearance and function. Access Dental Care in Reno provides quality dental implants that will allow you to smile, eat, and speak with confidence. But before you opt for this procedure, take some time to learn more about what makes dental implants so special.
Dental Implants Are a Long-Term Solution
How long-term of a solution are they? As long as you work with a certified dental implant provider and follow a proper oral healthcare routine, you can expect your implants to last the rest of your life. This is exceptionally longer than the expected lifespan of dentures and bridges. Dentures last between 3 and 8 years due to wear on the appliance and natural changes in your anatomy as you age, while bridges last for about a decade.
Dental Implants Are More Cost
If you have researched the cost of bridges, dentures, and implants, you might feel this doesn’t ring true, but chances are your research only takes into account the initial costs of the devices and procedures. While your implants may initially cost twice what bridges and dentures would, when you consider how often these other options must be repaired or replaced, over your lifetime, dental implants will cost you less.
Dental Implants Feel More Secure
Dentures and bridges will mask your missing tooth or teeth, but because they are not permanent, they never quite feel as secure as dental implants do. Dentures, in particular, run the risk of slipping and falling out while speaking, drinking, and eating, which can feel incredibly embarrassing. As dental implants are anchored into the jaw bone, they provide the same sense of security as your natural teeth do.
Dental Implants Improve Your Overall Appearance
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This one might seem obvious. In fact, it is probably a big motivating factor in pursuing dental implant treatment. However, dental implants restore more than just your smile: they can correct the balance of your facial features. When you lose a tooth, your lips and skin around your mouth can sag or appear sunken in, changing the way you look even when your mouth is closed. Since dental implants fill the empty space permanently, you will find that your appearance is back to what it once was.
Dental Implants Treat Bone Loss
Osteoporosis is a concern for anyone as they age. The bones you think about being affected arethe arms, legs, and hips — but what about your jaw? Like all other bones in your body, the jaw bone can suffer bone loss as you age, and tooth loss can actually accelerate this deterioration.
Unlike dentures and bridges, dental implants are in direct contact with your jaw bone, stimulating it and keeping it healthy. This makes it stronger and makes it less likely that you will lose more teeth in the future.
Dental Implants Leave Your Oral Hygiene Routine Unchanged
Wearing dentures means adding a new step to your oral care routine: soaking and cleaning your dentures. With a bridge, you have to learn a new way to brush and floss to accommodate the appliance. Dental implants, on the other hand, are treated the same as your natural teeth, leaving daily oral care unchanged.
Dental Implants Make Speech a Breeze
Tooth loss impacts more than just the way you look and the way you chew: it also changes your speech, especially if you lose teeth towards the front of your mouth. Dentures and bridges can reduce this effect, but they will not eliminate it. Dental implants are custom made to perfectly fit in place, eliminating problems such as lisps and duller sounds.
Dental Implants Do Not Restrict Your Diet
When you lose a tooth, you can no longer chew as you once did, which means that many foods are off limits. With dentures, your chewing will be improved, but you still need to be careful not to eat foods that can damage them or pull them loose. As dental implants are placed into the jaw bone, as soon as they settle, they are able to handle any foods the rest of your teeth can — no need to deny yourself your favorite treats.
Dental Implants Are Always Free of Cavities
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Chances are the reason you need a dental implant is tooth damage caused by a cavity, so it should come as a relief to know that dental implants are not susceptible to cavities or many other common ailments. Of course, we here at Access Dental Care in Reno do not want you to take that to mean you can stop worrying about oral healthcare. You will still need to brush and floss to maintain the health of your gums and your other teeth, as well as see us twice a year.
Dental Implants Help You Keep Your Other Teeth
Dental implants do not just replace teeth you have lost; they help to keep your other teeth healthy so you do not end up losing them as well. How do they do this? They prevent your teeth from migrating, which loosens them and makes it easier for them to fall out. Also a problem related to tooth migration is uneven wear due to an uneven bite, another potential cause of tooth breakage and loss. With a good routine at home and twice-a-year visits to Access Dental Care in Reno, your dental implants should keep your smile healthy and strong.
Dental Implants Have a High Rate of Success
When compared to other methods for replacing missing teeth, their success rates are exceptionally high. This is due to the reduction in room for user error. With dentures, you can wear them improperly or not often enough, and bridges require you to keep up with regular maintenance. Dental implants require nothing special in terms of care; just treat them like your natural teeth. As such, they enjoy a very high success rate.
Dental Implants Should Only Be Implanted by Experienced Dentists
Due to an increased interest in dental implants, many dentists offer them as one of their services. However, as implanting them is a complicated surgical procedure, you should only trust dentists specifically trained in their use. Here at Access Dental in Reno, Nevada, we have undergone a special certification process, allowing you to feel confident in choosing us.