Why Dental Implants Are the Treatment of Choice For Tooth Replacement

Dental implants have become the treatment of choice for many patients that are in need of restorative treatments to repair or replace decaying or lost teeth. There are a number of reasons for the shift in philosophy by most dental and periodontal professionals towards utilizing dental implants as a more favorable solution than   bridges  or crowns, as was often done in the past. They provide a permanent solution to tooth restoration and repair that avoid many of the problems sometimes encountered with other restorative dental methods.

One of the primary reasons that dental implants have become the favored alternative for tooth restoration is due to their longevity and lifespan. Most will last a lifetime, whereas restoring a tooth with a  bridge  is a procedure that often needs to be repeated after a certain period of time.  Bridges  are not permanent solutions when restorative treatments are needed. This is primarily due to the fact that they are more likely to break and decay can build up under the  bridge  or crown, causing additional dental or gum problems. Another problem with  bridges  is that if a tooth adjacent to the originally replaced tooth encounters a problem down the road, the  bridge  or crowns often need to be replaced.

Dental implants give patients the opportunity to replace a lost or decaying tooth with another that looks just like their real tooth. When a dental implant is used, the tooth that is attached to the implant looks and feels like a real tooth. Since the tooth is not connected to any other teeth nearby, the tooth also functions like a real tooth and can be cared for in the same way that a natural tooth should be cared for. They don’t require the extensive maintenance and cleaning regimen that  bridges  require in order to keep the underlying gums and bone healthy.

Another benefit to opting for dental implants is that no work needs to be done to the surrounding teeth, as is the case when a patient has a  bridge  put in. The implant affects the actual tooth that needs restoration only and does not rely on the adjacent teeth for any type of strength or stability. This means that the nearby teeth do not need to be ground down and to have crowns placed over them. Instead, they can be left alone.

Since the cleaning regimen for those with dental implants is more simplified than those with  bridges , opting for dental implants often means that the patient experiences fewer future problems with gum or underlying bone loss.  Bridges  require that the patient floss well and clean properly both under the  bridge  and also between the supporting crowns on either side of the replaced tooth. Failure to do so adequately can result in problems with the teeth, gums and bone.

Whether a patient needs to have just one or a series of teeth replaced, the best solution in most cases are dental implants. Plano, Texas dentist, Darren Dickson, DDS explains that even those who require a full or partial denture can utilize dental implants to affix the dentures permanently in the mouth, rather than having a removable device which many people are uncomfortable with and can lead to its own set of problems. Dr. Dickson says more and more patients are opting to use dental implants as a solution to their dental restoration problems rather than older, more traditional methods because the option offers more benefits for the patient.

One concern of some patients is the cost of dental implants. They initially cost about thirty percent more than a  bridge , but the difference in cost is somewhat misleading due to the fact that dental implants are a permanent solution that will not need to be replaced in the future and  bridges  need to be replaced periodically and typically only have a life span of around ten years. Over the course of time, patients also wind up making trips to the dentist for various problems that can potentially arise due to a  bridge  which will not occur with dental implants. Some insurance companies will cover the cost or partial cost of dental implants.

Not every patient is a candidate for dental implants. Factors such as the health of the underlying bone, the proximity of the tooth to the sinus cavity, the health of the gums, as well as other factors need to be considered before a patient can be cleared for the use of dental implants by a periodontist or dentist. Dr. Dickson, explains however, that for those patients who meet the criteria for successful dental implants, the procedure should be the treatment of choice due to the benefits it offers over more traditional dental procedures.