Before the introduction of dental implants, tooth restoration options included bridges, crowns, veneers, and dentures, but none had the strength or permanence of implants.
At Hometown Family Dental Centers, our expert dentists offer dental implants to patients in Fayetteville, Raeford, and Vass, North Carolina. Implant-supported prosthetics are sturdy and durable, and they can replace missing teeth to restore a healthy mouth.
You may think losing a tooth or two is no big deal, but you’d be wrong. It can seriously impact the health and functionality of your smile. Failing to replace a tooth leaves you at risk of developing additional and more costly problems that affect your daily life.
Not replacing missing teeth is the leading cause of jaw bone loss. Pressure from chewing helps stimulate and support the bone tissue; if you’re missing teeth, your bone atrophies, causing problems for your remaining teeth.
Of all the tooth restoration options, only dental implants stimulate the bone. The implants fuse with the bone in a process called osseointegration, providing maximum strength and support for the restoration that sits atop the implanted screw.
Although rooted in the jaw bone, teeth can shift and move over time. Gaps from missing teeth make this drifting easier as the remaining teeth move toward the gap. This shift can affect your entire bite. That’s why replacing a missing tooth is so important.
You rely on your teeth to do their intended jobs: Front teeth break off bites of food, and molars grind up meat and other tough foods. Missing teeth affect how you chew everything, and failing to chew correctly can impact digestion, resulting in problems like acid reflux.
In addition, your teeth support your facial features. As the jawbone atrophies from lack of stimulation, your face looks sunken and aged. If you’ve ever seen someone with removable dentures take them out, you’ll understand the impact missing teeth can have on your appearance, as the whole face “collapses.”
Finally, missing teeth (or even large gaps between teeth) can make it difficult to pronounce certain words; communication can become frustrating and embarrassing.
Titanium implants, first used in a human volunteer in 1965 (they lasted 40 years), are the only whole-tooth restoration option. They’re ideal for anything from a single missing tooth to a whole arch, upper or lower, and they don’t slip, clack, or rock when you move your mouth.
Bridges, crowns, and dentures all depend on you having enough remaining teeth, roots, and bone mass to support them, and they’re prone to slippage and clicking noises when you chew.
Dental implant surgery replaces the tooth’s root with a titanium screw and the missing crown with an artificial crown, bridge, or denture, all of which we fashion to look like natural teeth.
Because the titanium fuses with your jawbone, the implants won't slip or make noise like other restoration options. And the materials don’t decay like your natural teeth. However, you need to adhere to a good oral hygiene routine to ensure the gums and bones stay healthy.
Dental implants generally have a success rate of 95% or higher. However, several factors can affect this rate.
The main factor is age, especially for patients 60-79 years old, where the risk of implant failure is significantly higher than in the general population. This phenomenon may be due to an increased risk of disease or the fact that older people often need medications that may affect their oral health.
Despite this, patients who are missing teeth and those over 60 can often benefit from treatment, particularly implant-supported overdentures (the denture snaps onto the titanium posts).
Techniques such as All-on-Four® may prove more successful because we place the implants near the front of your mouth, where the stronger, thicker bones can support them.
The answer depends on which part of the input you’re discussing. The titanium post can last a lifetime if you maintain good oral hygiene, including brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist twice a year.
The restoration on top of the implant, which might be a crown, bridge, or implant-supported denture, generally requires a replacement every 10-15 years due to normal wear and tear.
Are you missing teeth and want to know if you’re a good candidate for dental implants? Hometown Family Dental Centers can help. Call our office to learn more and to schedule a consultation.
