A full set of healthy, gleaming teeth looks great and tells the world you’re confident, positive, and happy. But missing teeth can send the opposite message if it stops you from smiling and causes you to withdraw from social activities. You’ve thought about correcting your dental problems, but you’ve heard that dentures can slip out of place, be hard to clean, restrict the things you can eat, and even affect your speech. Dental implants, on the other hand, can solve your gapped smile and eliminate the downside of dentures, plus offer you some distinct advantages.
Samuel Sigmon, DDS, specializes in restoring your smile and your confidence through dental implants. He and our expert team walk you through the entire procedure, answer all your questions, and make sure you remain comfortable and safe from beginning to end.
Traditionally, dentures were the primary way to replace missing teeth, but they come with some clear disadvantages. In addition to some well known problems like chewing, clicking sounds, shifting, and up keep, they may also lead to bone loss.
But dental implants solve that problem by providing a manmade root and an above-the-gum crown that looks and functions like a real tooth. The “root” is a small titanium screw-type device that’s anchored in your jaw and then topped by a natural-looking porcelain crown. This provides stability and function that removable dentures and bridges can’t match.
Whether you need to replace one, two, or a mouthful of teeth, we can easily swap them out with crown-topped implants. But you also have the choice to use the root-like implant structure to secure your removable dentures and bridges in place. This prevents the notorious slipping accidents that can make dentures so bothersome.
One thing you may not realize about missing teeth is that when they’re gone, your jaw begins to deteriorate. The bone matter and soft tissue structures providing support for your teeth become unnecessary, so they begin to shrink. As you lose bone density in your jaw, the shape and appearance of your face can change. Dental implants, created from bone-friendly titanium, fuse with your jawbone and continue to stimulate ongoing bony and soft tissue support for your teeth and facial structure.
Your teeth are designed to support one another and help keep neighboring teeth in proper alignment. When you’re missing teeth and don’t replace them, the surrounding teeth migrate into the gap. This can lead to a crooked bite that alters your smile’s appearance and increases your risk of fracturing a tooth as you chew.
It also loosens your gums, creating pockets where bacteria can collect and eventually cause tooth decay and gum disease.
Dental implants, on the other hand, help maintain the natural design and integrity of your gums so that they stay healthy and functional.
You may know that removable dentures call for some extra care to keep them clean and fresh, like soaking overnight in special cleaning products. But dental implants are easy. Simply brush and floss your crown-topped dental implants as you would your natural teeth.
Just remember to come see Dr. Sigmon for regular checkups so she can monitor the health of your gums, dental implants, crowns, and natural teeth.
With proper care, your implants can last a lifetime. That means that over the years, dental implants, which may cost more up front, are generally more cost effective compared to other solutions, such as dentures and bridges. In fact, more than 95% of patients say they are highly satisfied with their decision to go with dental implants.
At Full Circle Dental Care, your oral health and happiness are our top priorities. We would love the opportunity to meet with you and discuss the health benefits of dental implants. If you’d like more information about dental implants, call our office, or click the “Book Online” button to schedule an appointment online to get started with your smile makeover.
