A substantial number of Americans suffer tooth loss, mostly due to tooth decay, periodontal disease, or injury, despite advancements in dental care. For many years, the only treatment available to replace a missing tooth was bridges and dentures. But, today, if you are planning to give yourself a prettier and healthy smile, dental implants come to the rescue.

What is a dental implant?

A dental implant is a tiny but strong titanium alloy screw like a tooth root surgically positioned into the jawbone so that the dentist can mount the artificial teeth or any other dental prosthesis to the jaw. Implants also benefit by providing support to loose, removable dentures.

Benefits

Dental implants come with many real-life benefits that include:

• Boost morale and self-confidence

A dental implant appears like a normal tooth and hence boosts your morale and self-confidence.

• Helps oral health

After a tooth is lost, chewing can cause a tilt and shift of the adjacent teeth resulting in a distortion in the entire dental structure. If the disfigured teeth structure interferes with the chewing abilities, this could result in further oral problems eventually. Dental implant bridges the gap preventing teeth distortion.

• Makes eating easier and comfortable

When the teeth are not intact but have a gap in between, pieces of food can come in the gap, making eating a hard experience. A dental implant can eliminate this discomfort allowing you to eat your favorite foods without pain.

• Improve comfort and convenience

Because dental implants are long-lasting, it eliminates the inconvenience and discomfort of removing dentures as well as the need for adhesives to keep them in place.

• Improve speech. 

Beyond the aesthetics and oral health, dental implants allow flawless speech without the fear of teeth slip that may happen with poor-fitting dentures.  

Who can do an implant?

In most cases, anyone who has healthy gums and bones and is healthy enough to undergo oral surgery or a dental extraction can consider a dental implant. Local anesthesia can be used during the procedure, and implants usually involve less pain than a tooth extraction.

Aftercare 

Dental implants are very much like the real teeth and require the same care that includes brushing, flossing, rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash, and regular dental check-ups.