If you’re missing one or even several of your teeth, you should know that you are not the only one. This is not merely conjecture, but rather a truism backed by multiple studies, one of which comes from the American College of Prosthodontists. According to researchers involved in this particular study, some 36 million people in the U.S. are edentulous, meaning they are missing all of their natural teeth. The same data further revealed that over 120 million Americans are missing at least one tooth. All of this is quite noteworthy when you consider that missing one or more teeth can negatively affect self-esteem and may even force some to forgo consuming certain foods. That said, people lose teeth for different reasons. According to most dental practitioners, the things that often precipitate tooth loss in adults include gum disease, cavities, and trauma.
Before delving into some of the many benefits associated with implants, let’s take a moment to discuss what these dental appliances are in the first place. In short, dental implants are titanium tooth roots that support fixed replacement teeth. Although the technology is still relatively new, with the first one being placed into the oral cavity of a human volunteer in 1965, dental implants have become a go-to for restoring a patient’s smile while simultaneously improving their overall oral health. Of course, it is not too difficult to see why they have surpassed traditional dental bridges and removable dentures as a sought-after dental treatment for filling the void left behind by missing teeth and continue to grow in popularity. According to Forth Wayne dentists and prosthodontists, the five primary benefits of undergoing a dental implant procedure include the following:
1- Improved Appearance
Undergoing a dental implant procedure can go a long way toward improving an individual’s smile. And at the same time, doing so also does wonders for improving their self-esteem, which naturally takes a hit when someone loses their teeth.
2- Improved Speech
Along with improved appearance, dental implants can dramatically improve an individual’s speech. And this is because the tongue naturally strikes against the teeth and produces sounds that allow us to form certain words when we speak. When an individual loses one or more teeth, speech problems will almost always follow, say most dentists and speech-language pathologists (SLPs).
3- Comfort
Another benefit of dental implants is comfort. These specific dental appliances are far more comfortable than dentures or traditional dental bridges once they have fused to the jawbone and the surrounding gum tissue has healed. And this is yet another reason why they are highly sought after by men and women that have lost one or more teeth to decay, gum disease, or trauma.
4- Durability
Along with an improved smile, improved speech, and renewed self-confidence, dental implants hold up to just about anything you can throw at them. And this is evidenced in a study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). According to researchers involved in the study, the success rate of dental implants is in the realm of 90 to 95 percent over 10 years.
5- Low Maintenance
Most individuals who have them will agree that taking care of their dental implants is pretty easy to do. And this is because they function a lot like natural teeth. That said, brushing twice per day and flossing can go a long way toward getting the most out of dental implants and keeping them in pristine condition.
In summary, there is no shortage of benefits that come by way of undergoing a dental implant procedure. To learn more about these dental appliances and whether or not they are right for you, consider scheduling a consultation with the Dental Implant Aesthetic Center today.