5 Reasons Dental Implants Are Superior To Other Teeth Replacement Options

It may surprise you that approximately half of all American adults are missing at least one tooth. In addition, roughly 36 million have no teeth at all. Missing teeth isn’t purely a cosmetic issue, either. The remaining gaps increase your risk of developing multiple oral health problems.

Thomas Eaton, DDS, located in Ione, CA, has extensive experience in restorative dental treatments, including dental implants. 

If you’re missing one, a couple, or all your teeth, Dr. Eaton offers five reasons to consider implants as your tooth replacement option. 

1. No slippage

You can replace missing teeth with dentures, which rest on top of your gums, or bridges, which attach to the surrounding teeth. But, dental implants are the only secure choice. Implants consist of a titanium post that’s permanently embedded into your jawbone. This post functions like a tooth root. On top is an abutment to which a crown or the prosthetic tooth is affixed.

Because implants are fused into your jaw, there’s no worrying about slippage while eating or speaking. 

Also, bridges require shaving down the supporting teeth. That’s unnecessary with implants since your jawbone supports them. 

2. Optimal comfort

The permanent placement of implants also means you don’t have to mess with sticky adhesives or food particles trapped under a denture plate or bridge. 

A bonus: You can eat whatever you want. No more passing up that corn on the cob.

3. Beautifully natural results

Dr. Eaton uses state-of-the-art techniques to ensure the tooth-like crown portion of your implant blends beautifully with the rest of your smile. 

Each implant is custom-shaped and tinted to match the natural shade of your teeth.

4. No special care necessary

Just brush twice and floss at least once daily, and come in for a professional cleaning and checkup every six months. You may need to replace the crown at some point, but the implant is designed to last a lifetime.

5. They protect your jaw health

Like all bones, your jawbone remains constantly remodeling. It’s permanently replacing old jawbone cells with healthy new bone tissue. 

However, bones need continual stimulation to remodel. Your tooth root provides that for your jawbone. However, when the tooth root is missing, the bone modeling cycle significantly slows in that area.

The implant post acts like a natural tooth root so that the remodeling process will continue in your jaw.

Don’t ignore a missing tooth.

Don’t ignore a missing tooth, even if it’s not prominent. Even one missing tooth can lead to additional tooth loss and increase your chances of developing other oral health problems.

Along with jaw bone deteriorating, missing teeth can cause adjacent teeth to move to fill the gap, causing alignment issues, bite issues, and tight spaces that are difficult to keep clean.

To learn more about dental implants, and if you’re a candidate, call Thomas Eaton, DDS, at 209-274-2429 or schedule an appointment online to learn more about the benefits of cosmetic dentistry.