Dr. David Rever is a dentist in Silver Spring, MD, that offers many options for patients missing teeth, including dental implants. You may wonder if dental implants are the right answer to your missing and lost teeth issues.
Advanced Total Dental Care has conducted many dental implant restorations and can help you decide how to proceed. Learn about the pros and cons of dental implants from Dr. Rever below.
Pros and Cons of Dental Implants
Dental implants offer many benefits to patients who suffer from missing teeth. These include many health and aesthetic benefits. There are, however, a few downsides to this tooth-replacement option.
The Pros
Dental implants are now the number one recommended way to replace missing teeth. Thanks to advances in dentistry, teeth implants look, feel, and work just like natural teeth.
- Designed to last a lifetime – Dental implant restorations are designed to last a lifetime if they are cared for properly. This includes dedicated daily oral hygiene habits and regular visits to your dentist. Traditional restorations, such as removable dentures and fixed bridges, require maintenance and replacement.
- Will not harm healthy teeth – Dental implant restorations do not require the use of healthy teeth to secure them. Dentures and bridges require the surrounding teeth to hold them in place. Adjacent teeth will be ground down to accommodate a dental bridge. Partial dentures will put stress on healthy teeth to hold them in place. Unnecessary stress on teeth can lead to decay.
- More natural option – Dentures take a while to get used to wearing. They can be larger than natural teeth and uncomfortable to wear. They can also affect your speech and may slip around in the mouth. Dental implants are the most natural teeth replacement option. Not only will they look like natural teeth, but they will also feel completely natural.
- Preserve the jaw bone – When a tooth is lost, the jaw bone beneath it slowly begins to weaken. A dental implant post will replace the missing tooth root to provide the necessary stimulation to avoid bone loss. Traditional dentures and bridges will eventually lead to bone loss in the jaw due to lack of stimulation. This will create a sunken-in look on your face and make you appear older than you are.
- No eating restrictions – Since the implants are fused with the surrounding bone, they securely hold the dental restoration. You can chew almost any kind of food and consume a healthy diet. Alternative restorations come with a list of food that must be avoided, including many healthy options.
The Cons
Dental implants are the best solution for tooth loss, but there are a few downsides.
- They will cost more – As the number one solution for missing teeth, a lot of time, planning, and materials are involved. The cost of all this will add up to more than most other teeth replacement options initially. However, it is worth noting that the cost to maintain and replace other restorations may exceed the cost of dental implants over a span of many years.
- The process is lengthy – Surgical implantation is just the first step. You must wait for the implant posts to fully fuse with the surrounding bone. Only then can the permanent restoration be placed. This could take anywhere from three to six months. Also, the process will take even longer if you require any treatments before surgery, such as gum disease therapy. Other restorations will be ready in less than a month.
- Surgery is necessary – The implants must be surgically placed into the jaw bone. This involves a surgical procedure and may require a second minor surgery to attach the abutments. If you are not healthy enough to undergo surgery, you will not qualify for teeth implants.
Learn More About Implants