Are you wondering if having surgery for a dental implant is worth the time and expense? Dental implants are widely considered the best solution for replacing a missing tooth or teeth but are they right for you? This article focuses on teeth implant pros and cons to help you make an informed decision. Booking a consultation at your local dental clinic is a good way to ease your concerns.
When you lose one or more teeth, everyday activities that we take for granted such as eating, smiling and even talking can feel uncomfortable. Missing teeth can also make you feel self-conscious and ultimately lower your self-esteem. If not addressed, tooth loss can lead to a host of other dental problems.
For this reason, it’s important to replace a missing tooth as soon as possible. We’re put together some of the pros and cons of dental implants to help you decide whether or not to go down the dental implant route.
Dental Implant Pros and Cons
Pros – The advantages of dental implants
A dental implant provides a long-term solution rather than a quick fix. Here are some of their pros:
Look and feel like natural teeth
Tooth implants don’t just look like real teeth, they feel the same too. The porcelain that they’re made from has a similar translucency to tooth enamel that makes them sparkle like natural teeth. Moreover, because they’re anchored securely into the jaw bone, they feel equally as strong, giving you the confidence to eat and talk as normal.
A dental implant can last a lifetime
Tooth implants are made from titanium – a biocompatible metal that’s extremely strong and durable. While the dental crowns are likely to need replacing around the 10-15 year mark, the titanium implant posts can last you a lifetime.
It’s important however to maintain good oral hygiene and a healthy lifestyle to ensure the longevity of your dental implants. If you’re a smoker for instance it’s a good idea to quit for good and also try and avoid fizzy drinks, junk food, and sugary treats.
Eat and chew with ease
Dental implants provide almost the same biting force as that of real teeth which means you can munch and crunch with the best of them without fear of them slipping or falling out as dentures might have done.
Prevents bone loss
When teeth are lost or extracted, the tooth roots are no longer there to stimulate the bone and keep it healthy. As a result, the bone gradually starts to resorb back into the body and this causes the jaw to change shape and the facial structures to sag. When Dental implants are placed, they mimic the action of tooth roots, restimulating the bone tissue, thus preventing further bone loss from occurring. This makes this one of the most significant pros of getting teeth implants.
Easy to maintain
While it’s important to care properly for your dental implant, you’ll be pleased to know that maintenance is easy. Because implants are permanently secured into the jaw, caring for them simply involves brushing and flossing combined with regular dental check-ups, just as for your real teeth.
Cost-effective
Finally, although a dental implant isn’t the cheapest form of tooth replacement, it has the potential to last for at least 20 years if not longer.
Once fitted, you won’t have to pay out any more money, at least not for a long time. Implants let you get on with your life and as a potential lifetime solution, they remain extremely cost-efficient.
So that’s the pros of teeth implants what about the cons?
Cons – What are the disadvantages of dental implants?
While a dental implant has numerous pros that far outweigh the cons, they’re not for everyone. Here are a few reasons they may not be right for you:
Certain criteria to meet
In order to undergo dental implants, a patient needs to be medically fit to face surgery. Anyone with heart problems or who is at risk from anaesthetic may find that they aren’t eligible for the treatment.
In addition, implants also require dense healthy bone to support them. While poor oral health or thinning bone doesn’t disqualify a person from getting a dental implant, these problems will need to be addressed first and you may need additional treatments such as a bone graft which will add time and cost to your treatment.
A lengthy procedure
If you’re looking for a quick fix to your missing teeth, then a denture or bridge may be a better option. Implants require multiple treatments interspersed with waiting as the mouth heals. This means that the entire procedure can take up to 9 months to complete from start to finish.
Tooth implants can fail
While the success rate of a dental implant is around 95%, a small percentage do fail, and it’s important to be aware of this fact. Failure can be caused by smoking, poor oral hygiene, insufficient bone, and medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. This is why your dentist will assess if implants are right for you during an initial consultation to see if you are eligible and limit the chance of failure.
Cost of dental implants
Tooth implants don’t come cheap and aren’t typically covered by Medicare. However, many private insurances cover certain parts of the process and most dentists offer flexible finance plans to make them more affordable.
So now you have a better understanding of teeth implants advantages and disadvantages hopefully, it has helped your decision.
Why not schedule an initial consultation with the team at Dental 266. Our dentist has been placing dental implants since 2008 with great success but will be happy to discuss other methods of tooth replacement too.
Call us today on (02) 9051 0600 or use our online booking service.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.