When you lose a tooth or one of your teeth simply never develops properly from birth, a Sarnia dentist may offer you a variety of solutions to fill in the gaps. The most common options include dental bridges, full or partial dentures, acrylic retainers, and dental implants. All are long-term solutions, however, one of the most common options for filling a missing tooth gap is Dental Implants!

What is a Dental Implant?

Dental implants are permanent solutions to missing teeth. Each dental implant is composed of a metal post and a porcelain or acrylic cap. The metal post is anchored into the jawbone and given time to heal. After the bone has healed around the implant, your dentist will attach a crown, dental bridge, or tooth-shaped cap to the top of the implant. This will conclude the process and you will be able to proudly show off your new smile for years to come!

Reasons You Need Dental Implants

While there are multiple solutions to missing teeth, dental implants are the preferred choice of many dental patients and here’s why:

1. Natural appearance

Because dental implants are incorporated into the natural gum, like a regular tooth, they look very natural. They effectively improve the appearance of your smile and are not typically detectible the same way dentures or retainers are.

2. Long-lasting

Compared to any of the other missing teeth solutions, dental implants are the longest-lasting solution. Dental implants last for on average 25 years but can last much longer! For reference, dentures typically last around seven years, temporary teeth retainers last an average of ten, and dental bridges around 15. Of course, these estimated lengths of time are highly dependent on the patient’s unique oral health condition and their oral health care routines.

3. Multi-use

Dental implants can be used to house a single tooth or more than one tooth via bridge or all-on-four implants & dentures. Missing more than one tooth and want to see if you’re still a candidate for dental implants. Ask your Sarnia dentist at Sarnia Dental Care today.

4. Reliable

Dental implants are considered to have a low fail rate and generally don’t break in the same way other solutions do. However, the success rate of implants is unique to the patient’s oral health condition and dental care routine. You should consult with your dentist about reliability and success rates regarding your own oral health condition.

5. Low maintenance

Once healed, dental implants are relatively low maintenance. These solutions can be treated like regular teeth and behave the same as well. One key difference is that you will never have to worry about getting a cavity or need a root canal with a dental implant. However, you do still need to maintain a regular oral hygiene routine, along with regular visits to the dentist.

6. Regain chewing abilities

When you have dentures or temporary retainers, your chewing abilities are inhibited. Eating the wrong foods could break your replacement teeth and cost hundreds or thousands of dollars to repair. When you have a healed dental implant, you can eat just about any regular foods!