Why Should You Consider Dental Implants?
If you’ve yet toconsider dental implants in Richmond after suffering with tooth loss then you might be asking yourself are they really worth it? After all they aren’t particularly cheap. In this post we’ll take a look at why implants should be serious contenders over other forms of teeth replacement.
Closest thing to natural looking teeth
Quite simply a dental implant is the closest thing that modern dentistry has to a natural looking tooth. Unlike dentures or bridges an implant is permanently fixed into the jaw giving you total and complete stability. They don’t need to be removed at night and don’t require fixatives or rely on suction to hold them in place. In fact they look, feel, and function just like your natural teeth would. As such any non-dentists and even many dental professionals would be hard pressed to tell the difference.
Don’t need the support of other teeth
Bridges in particular rely heavily on the support of adjacent teeth which need to be ground down to take the shape of the framework. This re-shaping means that otherwise healthy teeth are now prone to a variety of tooth problems because they’ve been severely weakened. As implants are inserted directly into the jawbone they act as a stand alone tooth. Once bone fusion takes place the implant is essentially a super-strong platform that can now support a bridging framework, a partial denture plate, or even a full set or arch of dentures.
Limited bite force
When you’re fitted with dentures there’s evidence to show that your bite force is significantly reduced by up to one fifth. As an example a standard bite force with natural teeth is somewhere between 200 and 250lbs per square inch. By contrast even snug fitting dentures provide just 50lbs. Although dental implants can’t quite provide the same strength as natural teeth they don’t fall far short at around 175 lbs. This means that as a denture wearer you WILL without question have to change your diet. With dental implants on the other hand, it’s fair to say that you’re free to eat exactly what you like.
Long-lasting
Yes conventional dentures are certainly cheaper and as a patient you won’t have to undergo any surgical procedure. However the issue lies in the fact that dentures won’t halt the bone loss process. This is a natural phenomenon that occurs when teeth are missing. Bone tissue that once supported the tooth root is no longer stimulated and just like a muscle that’s no longer used, it starts to waste away. As it does it alters the shape of the jaw, meaning that once tight fitting dentures become slack. This is why they need ongoing adjustment and eventually replacement. In fact the average shelf life of a set of dentures is somewhere around 7-15 years. With a dental implant the titanium screw mimics the tooth root thus re-stimulating bone tissue allowing bone fusion to take place. Once bone fusion has occurred there’s no reason at all why a well cared for implant can’t last 30 years or more.
In essence if you’re after hassle-free, long-lasting, natural looking teeth then you seriously should consider a dental implant. In Richmond here at Sheen Dental we’ve been placing implants for many years and know first hand the real life-changing benefits they’ve given patients. To find out more, visit our website at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk or contact us directly on 020 8876 5277 today.