Gone are the days when you had to live with missing teeth or make do with a general crown that won’t even match the rest of your teeth. Today, thanks to medical science and technological advancements, patients looking to get their new tooth in place of a damaging tooth have several options these days.
Dental Implants: What Are They?
Whether your teeth no longer exist due to a facial injury or need a teeth extraction because of a cavity or serious inflammation, there are ways to restore the tooth’s function to normal. Dental implants are a permanent solution to the missing tooth. And if you qualify for dental implant grants, you can get a discount of up to 30% on the entire treatment without having to fill out forms.
If losing teeth affects your confidence level, know there are ways to replace the lost teeth without compromising the quality of the new teeth. Dental implants make the tooth custom-made for the patient after carefully evaluating the rest of their teeth, color, texture, size, and shapes.
This ensures that the new crown blends well with your teeth. But since everything comes with its share of drawbacks, you should weigh the pros and cons of dental implants before making a decision. Let’s check out some pros and cons of dental implants.
Pros
They Look Like Real Teeth
The crown on top of the implant is made of either porcelain or zirconia ceramic, which looks identical to your original set of teeth. You can rest easy knowing that the new tooth will not only look but function like a normal tooth. The dentist collects a digital impression of your tooth to create a customized crown that will match your teeth’ color and size.
It’s much better and more effective than dentures that might slip away when you chew hard or eat chewy food. With dental implants, that’s never a concern. The doctor inserts a screw into the jawbone that stabilizes the jaw and keeps the crown in place. It functions like your normal tooth and is, in fact, better than a normal tooth in that it doesn’t get cavities.
It’s Durable
Unlike other restoration options, dental implants last longer and maintain stability in your jawbone for years. As we mentioned earlier, the crown will not suffer from decay, and nor does it get any cavities or other issues, making it highly durable.
There’s no denying that the procedure has a high initial cost and is undoubtedly the most expensive one for dental restorations, but if you want a long-term solution, the treatment is probably going to save you money. You don’t need to get restorations every few months or teeth monitoring regularly to ensure that they don’t fall off from constant bite pressure. The best part is that dental implant grants are also available for people who don’t have the budget for implants.
Whether it’s for cosmetic purposes or you need implants to restore your normal tooth function, anyone can qualify for the dental implant grant. The titanium screw inserted into the jawbone has a lifespan of more than 10 years, and the restoration can last up to 20 years with proper maintenance. In most cases, the implant and the crown last a lifetime.
They Prevent Bone Loss
The roots of your teeth keep your jawbone stabilized. If you lose a tooth, the surrounding bone can weaken, resulting in the loss of another tooth. This condition is termed periodontitis. While other restoration techniques can help you get your tooth back, they don’t prevent bone loss from the instability of the jawbone. The doctors will insert the implant into the jawbone, just like your natural tooth. The implants do not just restore the function of your teeth, but they stabilize other teeth and prevent bone loss too.
Cons
Not a Suitable Option for Some Patients
Not every patient is a good candidate for dental implants. People with diabetes or an autoimmune disease, for instance, cannot get dental implants, as their bodies might reject them, considering them a foreign object. Those with low bone density need dental surgery for bone graft implantation. In addition, a sinus lift or a flap surgery might be necessary to prepare your mouth for the implants.
It’s a Lengthy Process
As mentioned above, dental implants in Grant might require a bone graft, sinus lift, and other treatments before the implant can be fixed. Each procedure will take at least 2-3 months to heal before you can prepare for another procedure. The entire process can take up to a year to complete, including healing your gums after implantation and restoration. You can temporarily put the dentures for your teeth to look complete.
Talk to the dentist Hutchinson at Grant D. Ringler, DDS for more information about implants.
