Permanent dental implants are a solution to damaged or missing teeth. They’re an investment in your long-term oral health and self-confidence.
An analysis of dental implant usage from 1996 to 2016 projects that up to 23% of Americans could have dental implants by 2026. They’re quickly becoming the most popular option for missing teeth. An analysis of their benefits makes it clear why.
What Are Permanent Dental Implants?
Permanent dental implants are an artificial tooth root. They’re meant to replace a tooth that’s missing, chipped, or needs to come out due to decay.
What Should I Do the Night Before Dental Implants?
Don’t have any food or liquids before your surgery. If it’s in the morning, make sure you don’t eat before midnight.
Don’t smoke. Tobacco can interfere with the process and cause bleeding issues.
How the Dental Implant Procedure Works
The dental implant procedure starts with placing a small titanium post into the socket where the missing tooth is. That’s known as the root implant.
Your mouth heals over it within a few months. The next step is to get an abutment to keep it in place.
The final step is to get a custom-fitted crown to go over it. You’ll often receive a temporary crown or bridge until your permanent one is ready.
Working with a Lexington dentist like Justice Dental, who also has an in-house lab, leads to faster, more accurate results. It’s part of our commitment to always use the latest and greatest dental technology.
What Hurts Worse, a Tooth Extraction or an Implant?
When asked whether implants hurt, most patients would say it’s less painful than a tooth extraction. The recovery period is longer.
An implant procedure leads to less tissue disruption, causing less pain. There’s also no open socket vulnerable to air and bacteria.
Seven Reasons to Consider Permanent Dental Implants
There are several reasons a dentist in Lexington, KY, may recommend permanent implants. They’re one of the most natural options, restoring confidence and oral health.
1. Stability and Durability
Dental implant longevity is one of its greatest benefits. Implants have a success rate of around 90-95% for the first 10 years. They’re firmly placed in your jaw and rarely need replacements or alterations.
2. Full Chewing Function and No Speech Alteration
Losing one tooth can affect the way you eat. Implants provide full chewing function, and they can stay in while you eat.
Implants also don’t significantly affect the way you speak. This is an advantage over options such as dentures.
3. Easier Dental Hygiene
Implants require care because they’re immune to decay but can contribute to gum disease. However, they don’t require more maintenance than regular teeth. All you have to do is brush and floss them regularly.
You don’t have to take them out to clean them like dentures. They don’t have hard-to-reach areas like bridges.
These other tooth replacement options are difficult to clean, leaving bacteria behind. This isn’t a problem with permanent dental implants.
4. Natural Feel
Implants look and feel like natural teeth. They don’t slip or feel uncomfortable the way dentures do. You may not even feel the implant at all.
5. Supporting Oral Health
You’ll get a major dental health advantage from choosing implants beyond the fact that they’re easy to clean.
If you leave a gap open from a missing tooth, it can start to shift. That can change the alignment of your entire smile or cause your face to become asymmetrical.
Permanent dental implants are the only tooth replacement method that prevents this. The titanium post they use acts like a natural tooth to keep teeth in place.
They also don’t require a dentist to grind down adjacent teeth the way that bridges do. Implants can stand on their own without potentially harming nearby teeth.
University of Utah Health says almost half of Americans have gum disease. A missing tooth can create a pocket of infection, which implants help close.
6. Self-Confidence
Having a missing or cracked tooth can hurt your self-confidence. You may start trying to hide it in public or refuse to smile in pictures.
It’s almost impossible to tell any cosmetic difference between implants and natural teeth. They can help restore your confidence and encourage you to smile in public again.
7. Cost-Effectiveness
The upfront costs of implants can be high, especially if you need them for more than one tooth. However, they’re one of the most cost-effective tooth replacement options on the market.
They rarely need to be replaced or repaired. There’s no need for special cleaning products or procedures. This alone can make implants a better long-term investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 3:2 Rule for Implants?
The 3:2 rule is a two-part guideline that helps dentists determine how to space implants to ensure they function well.
The first part determines how far apart implants should be. They need at least 3mm of space. Otherwise, you could lose blood supply and get gum recession or dark gaps.
The second part determines how far implants should be from other natural tooth roots. They need at least 2mm of space. This helps maintain the natural tooth’s blood supply and prevents damage to its root.
The 3:2 rule is also important to ensure the new implant can withstand chewing pressure.
How Can I Heal Faster After Implants?
Don’t smoke. Tobacco products can cause problems during surgeries and prevent healing after them.
Keep your head elevated and use cold compresses for 15 minutes at a time.
Stay hydrated and eat soft foods for the first few days after the procedure. Make sure you don’t chew on the implant site.
Keep up with your oral hygiene. That means brushing your teeth and going to the dentist to let them check on how you’re healing.
Get Dental Implants in Lexington, KY, Today
Permanent dental implants are a durable, cost-effective method of replacing damaged or missing teeth. They can also restore your chewing ability and your self-confidence.
Justice Dental has offices in Blazer and Wellington. Laura Justice set up the first office in 1999. She’s one of the nation’s top dentists and one of only 100 to earn Accredited Fellow status with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
Our team of dental professionals is committed to your care. We’re always looking for the latest technology to provide better results, such as digital imaging and laser dentistry.
Schedule an appointment to get implants today.
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