Do you find yourself embarrassed about the appearance of your teeth? Do you avoid smiling and laughing in front of others? Are missing teeth making it hard for you to eat or speak? If you find that any of these questions are relatable, take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. There are many reasons for missing teeth. Age plays a significant role, and it is common for older adults lose teeth over time. At the same time, young adults and children are also impacted by the condition (research shows that up to 8 percent of children are born with missing upper lateral incisors). If missing teeth are a cause for concern in your life, then you might be a great candidate for dental implants.
The concept of dental implants is pretty straight-forward: a metal rod is inserted into the gums in place of a missing tooth. From there, a faux but realistic-looking tooth or set of teeth is attached to the rod, giving the appearance of a full smile. Anyone looking to replace missing teeth should consider implants, regardless of how many teeth are gone — or what caused them to go missing in the first place. For some, a full or partial implant with multiple teeth is the best option. For others, a single tooth implant — sometimes referred to as a “mini” implant — is an ideal solution. No matter, dental implants have advanced greatly over the years and people who were once told that they were not candidates for the procedure might be surprised to find that they now are. And, thanks to advances in technology, there has never been a better time to get them.
Opting for implants has many advantages. Implants are strong and convenient. You won’t have to adjust your diet like you would if you had dentures. In fact, you might find yourself tasting foods that were out of the question for many years dues to missing teeth. And, since they are permanently in place, you also won’t need to worry about glues, clicks or changes in speech once you have them. Implants are also built to work for the long haul. The vast majority of implants last more than 15 years, regardless of patient age.
You might be surprised to learn that implants aren’t just good for aesthetic purposes. Replacing missing teeth has physical health benefits, too. When teeth are missing, jaw bones and gums are greatly impacted. Overtime, the jaw bone will begin to shrink and your gums will pull pack, weakening any remaining teeth in the area and forcing your mouth to make unnatural adjustments to combat the lake of stimulation. If you have a history of cavities and other oral ailments, implants will be a great relief. You’ll no longer have to worry your teeth decaying or needing a root canal, because the synthetic material use in implants is not susceptible to these conditions.
Implants aren’t for everyone, but for the vast majority of patients who get them, they are life changing.