In an ideal world, we would be able to retain our adult teeth for the duration of our lifetime. Unfortunately, heavy wear and tear, an increase in the number of sugars in foods and bad habits such as smoking, teeth grinding, and nail biting all mean that our teeth are more than put through their paces and the result is that the majority of us will have lost at least one permanent tooth by the time we reach our 30s.

Tooth loss can have a detrimental impact on various aspects of our life. Firstly, depending on the location of the gap our ability to bite and chew properly may be compromised. Our speech may also be different since our tongue needs to push against our teeth to make the sounds needed to form words.

The psychological effect of tooth loss can also be significant, particularly if the gap is neat at the front of the mouth and particularly noticeable. This can cause feelings of embarrassment, self-consciousness, and even depression. Some patients with gaps in their smiles do everything they can to avoid drawing attention to their mouths and teeth.

Fortunately, dental implants provide a practical and cosmetic solution to the problem of missing teeth and can enable you to enjoy a functional and attractive smile.
 

About dental implants

The highly innovative design of dental implants has helped make it an increasingly popular and highly successful solution for missing teeth. Each implant comprises three components.

1. A titanium post is inserted into a pre-determined location in the jaw bone via the gum. Once in place, the bone fuses around it creating a virtually impenetrable bond. The very top of the post sticks out slightly above the gums.

2. An abutment. This is a special connector that is attached to the top of the implant post and fixes it to the visible portion of the tooth.

3. A porcelain crown. This is part of the dental implant that you can see and is custom-designed in size, shape, and color to look completely natural against existing teeth.
    

In order for dental implants to be successful, your jaw bone must be comprehensively analyzed to ensure that it is healthy enough to support and fuse with an implant post. If an implant is placed into an unhealthy jaw, it will almost certainly fail.
 

Benefits of dental implants

There are now more people choosing dental implants to replace missing teeth than ever before. There are a number of reasons for this, including:
 

Stability

One of the biggest issues with other tooth replacement solutions, such as dentures, is that they lack stability once inside the mouth and this can lead to embarrassing slips and movement that draw attention to the fact that you do not have all of your own real teeth. However, implants are so secure that there is not even the slightest movement and you can enjoy eating, drinking, laughing, sneezing and even kissing without worrying about your implant coming loose.
 

Discretion

Since they don’t move, implants are extremely discreet. This is further enhanced by the fact that they are custom-designed specifically to blend with natural teeth and can be created in a wide range of different shades, making it easy to match your implant to the rest of your smile.
 

Comfortable

Dentures and some bridges are renowned for being uncomfortable as they can rub and pull on the skin. However, dental implants feel so natural that most patients forget that they even have one!
 

Improved dental health

The artificial nature of the implant means that you will never need to worry about it developing a cavity. However, it should still be brushed alongside your regular teeth every day to help it remain in the best possible condition. Since you don’t have to remove them to clean your teeth, you can brush and floss as normal and enjoy a better chance at exceptional oral health.
 

Long-lasting

Dental implants are arguably the most durable of any restoration or cosmetic dentistry treatment and with proper care, could last as long as 25 years without a problem.

If you would like to discover more about dental implants, including the unique benefits that the procedure offers patients, please do not hesitate to contact our offices.

If you have further questions about the benefits of dental implants or would like to schedule a consultation, Dr. Wright and the team here at Eagle Gate Dental will be happy to assist you. Telephone us or pop into our Salt Lake City offices where we look forward to speaking with you.