As dental implants become more and more popular, you may be wondering if the procedure is right for you and for your budget. The implant itself is a metal “screw-like” fixture that is set directly into the bone of your jaw. After the fixture is set, a prosthetic crown or bridge is affixed to the implant structure giving you the look and feel of a natural tooth. Each structure can hold one or more prosthetic teeth which will allow you to fill in as little or as many gaps as you may have with a minimum quantity of fixed implants.
Advantages Of Dental Implants
Dental implants offer many advantages opposed to dental bridges and dentures but have a higher initial cost as well. One major advantage is that the fixture is permanent and is set in place by a process called osseointegration. This is a biological process where the metal (usually titanium) screw-like fixture forms a secure bond to the jaw bone. Once the titanium has bonded to the bone, it is then in place permanently, alleviating the need to remove the tooth, bridge or partial/full denture at night or for daily cleaning.
Doctors also prefer to maintain the remaining healthy teeth a patient may have to keep the jaw bone from continuous bone loss. Removing a full set of teeth in order to fit a full denture will sometimes advance further bone disintegration, accelerating the aging process of your facial features. Being able to maintain healthy teeth while replacing only the needed ones with implants will foster a healthier bone structure overall. Implant procurement will also require less stress or damage to surrounding teeth since they don’t require filing or reducing of adjacent teeth, as do tooth-supported bridges.
Another important advantage to getting implants as opposed to removable prosthetics is comfort. Dental implants feel and perform similarly to natural teeth. A permanent structure removes the worry of the prosthetic from slipping or accidentally falling out while speaking or eating. They don’t “rub” the wrong way or usually cause any discomfort at all. They are easily cared for and don’t require removal for cleaning, In most cases, less food particles get under the fixture, therefore requiring less maintenance and much more comfort. Your dental professional can easily show you how to care for your new smile with simple flossing and small brush methods such as “superfloss” and proxa-brushes. And implants can support the “force” used while eating in a way that a removable prosthetic just can’t do.
While we have reviewed the benefits of dental implants over the use of other tooth replacement options, the sticker-price may be what’s preventing you from moving forward with the procedure. Although it is true that most implant procedures are more costly than traditional options, the procedure is more cost effective than many realize. There will most likely be a higher initial cost for the procedure but a lower maintenance cost, a higher success rate, and much better improvement in oral health-related quality of life as compared to alternate treatment options. Much of the cost of dental implants is spent for the initial procedure, with less follow-up, adjustments, maintenance, and repair/replacement costs of removable prosthetics over time. Implants have a success rate of up to 98% and with the proper care, they can last a lifetime.
For more information about the benefits and cost of dental implants, contact Park Dental Care in Astoria, Queens at 718-274-1515.
