The Pros and Cons of Dental Implants

It wasn’t that long ago that when you lost a permanent adult tooth either due to injury, accident or decay your options were limited to a bridge, dentures or having nothing at all. Bridge work and dentures can be annoying to wear and over time both can wear down the natural jaw bone and need to be replaced and refitted. Both of these prophetic devices require the user to have a restricted diet that is friendly to bridge work or dentures and this can mean saying no to things like sticky candy or steaks or face the possible embarrassment of having your dentures or bridge work come loose.

Luckily there are now better options in place that you can consider including dental implants. Dental implants basically look like your natural tooth on the surface and below the surface is a titanium screw that is surgically installed into your jaw bone. Once your new tooth is in place you can treat it like a normal tooth. Your diet isn’t limited by it being loosened by the wrong foods- and unlike your other options; your implant can last as long as your natural teeth with the proper care. The easy part is the care. The only thing you have to do is brush and floss just as you do your other teeth. Your implant when taken care of properly can last up to twenty years, making it a very good investment in your mouth.

Of course not everyone is a candidate. For one thing since the implant has to be surgically implanted into your jaw bone you will need to have some significant jaw bone to screw it into to. If your bone has worn down which is possible with gum disease you may not have enough bone for the surgery to work successfully. However your dentist can either measure your jaw bone or assess the chances of success or they can refer you to a specialist that can do that for you. This can generally be done quite simply with a CT scan.

Once you are cleared as a viable candidate you should be prepared for a healing time that can last between two to six months depending on a lot of individual factors that are present in any surgical procedure.

The success rate however is quite high- 95% so the chances are very good that your implant will work and last you a lifetime. If you are considering your options, this is a good way to consider further by talking to your dentist and finding out if this option is right for you.