Tooth loss is a problem that has dogged the human race since before the dawn of civilization. Thankfully, advances in dental science have provided solutions like bridges, crowns, and dentures. While these restoration methods have continued to improve with time, recent decades have seen the rise of the longest-lasting and most structurally sound way to replace missing teeth yet developed. Here’s why dental implants are now considered the pinnacle of dental restoration.
What Is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant is a titanium post surgically placed in the jawbone with a lifelike artificial tooth typically made of porcelain attached above the gumline. As the surgical site heals, this post fuses with the jawbone through the natural process of osseointegration, creating a strong foundation that works similarly to the roots of real teeth.
What Makes Dental Implants So Great at Replacing Lost Teeth?
The bottom line and main selling point of dental implants is that they look, feel, and function like natural teeth. This delivers benefits such as:
Dental implants will go unnoticed by casual observers.
You can bet that no one you encounter will ever guess that you have dental implants because they precisely replicate the shape, color, luster, and function of real teeth. Unless you tell people about it, only you and your dentist will ever know that they are there.
Dental implants can last a lifetime with proper care.
Dental implants only require the same excellent hygiene routine as your real teeth with no special tools or techniques required. If you keep up with brushing, flossing, and antibacterial mouthwash while avoiding bad habits or accidents that can damage your smile, you can expect your dental implants to last for the rest of your life.
Dental implants are the most structurally robust form of tooth restoration.
Since dental implants are attached directly to the patient’s jawbone, they aren’t as likely to break or fall out as dentures, bridges, or crowns.
Dental implants keep your jawbone healthy and strong.
Soon after a tooth is lost, the jawbone that supported it begins to atrophy due to a lack of exercise. This can pull the neighboring teeth out of alignment, making them harder to clean and easier to damage. Unlike other dental restorations, implants restore this exercise to the jawbone, preventing and even reversing bone loss.
Dental implants don’t require any alterations to existing teeth.
Dentures may require extractions of healthy teeth to make room. Bridges require the teeth on either side of the gap to receive crowns so they can serve as anchors. Dental implants support themselves, allowing your healthy teeth to continue as they are.
Will some new sort of dental restoration become the new king of tooth replacement? Since dental science is always advancing, the answer is a definite “probably.” Perhaps in the future, you’ll be able to clone your own lost teeth and not have to deal with any artificial structure at all. Until then, dentists consider dental implants the best way to go if you want to restore your complete smile.
About the Practice
Dr. Puneet Sandhu, DDS is the owner and lead dentist at Complete Dental Care Paradise Valley in Phoenix, AZ. A graduate of the University of Arizona where he completed his degree in physiology with a minor in chemistry in just three years, he went on to earn his dental degree from UCLA. Dr. Sandhu is a faculty member of Spear Education, the world’s largest dental education organization, and holds a Fellowship with the International Dental Implant Association as well as memberships with the American Dental Association, Arizona Dental Association, and Central Arizona Dental Society. Known for his warm, easy-going approach and his belief that patients are true partners in their own care, his clinical focus is full mouth reconstruction and comprehensive restorative dentistry. Outside the office, Dr. Sandhu enjoys Cardinals and Giants football and spending time with his family.
For more information on what dental implants can do for you, contact the office online or dial (480) 526-4317.
