Getting a New Smile

Suppose you are protecting the honor of a damsel in distress and you jump into a fight with a guy three times your size. You throw a few good left hooks, dodge a few rabbit kicks, and give the girl time to run, screaming, away from the fight. Good. Only, now the other guy's really mad. Furious. As he stalks towards you, fists upraised, you start thinking maybe this was a bad idea. Then, one punch lands across your jaw and you feel your tooth - or several teeth - pop out of their sockets. How do you repair that? Easily. You get dental implants. These are small devices that are generally made of titanium that are inserted into the root of the tooth to hold the replacement tooth in place. They are usually drilled into the bone and inserted alongside the natural roots. If you are considering getting dentures, you will also want to go this route as they provide extra support that will leave your smile looking brand-new once again. There are two types of dental implants used today. The first one is called the endosteal. This one is the most commonly used and is inserted directly into the bone. Cylinders, screws, or blades are surgically inserted into the jawbone and each one can hold at least one replacement tooth, and some can even hold more than one tooth, depending on the size. The second type is called the subperiosteal. Instead of being inserted into the bone, this type rests on the jawbone and is not often used. Instead, it's used more for patients who have minimal bone height. Either type might work for you, so be sure to do your research before you make your choice. Many reasons exist for choosing dental implants over something like dentures or a bridge. Perhaps the most attractive reason is that it looks great. No one would ever know you have a replacement tooth, as the screw will be surgically inserted into your bone. There won't be any degradation or gum recession involved so you won't have to worry about people realizing you have a replacement tooth. Another reason is that it doesn't affect the associated teeth. There is no interaction with the teeth to either side of the replacement tooth and so nothing is pushed out of the way or interfered with. Confidence is also a reason to go with this treatment method. With a renewed smile that looks a lot like your original smile, you will be able to talk, eat, and smile with pride. You should also look at the success rate before you make your choice. You will find that the success rate for this treatment method is quite high and most people are very satisfied with their results. Before you make a decision on how to replace your teeth, check to see if you are a candidate for dental implants. Someone who is in good oral health and has good oral hygiene would be preferable. If this is you and you've lost a tooth somewhere, consider dental implants for your treatment. If you do, you could be on your way back to an award-winning smile in no time.