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Whether it is due to dental decay, trauma to the mouth, gum disease, or an another oral health issue, tooth loss is a common problem. Depending on the location of the missing tooth, you probably want to receive an artificial replacement as soon as possible for aesthetic reasons. However, it is important to do this for oral health reasons as well. Missing teeth can cause significant problems, including the misalignment of your bite. Dental implants are becoming increasingly popular as a method to replace missing teeth.
When Should You Consider Getting Dental Implants?
Dental implants are not the only option you have to replace missing teeth, but they are the most cost effective, efficient and best option for your health. With removable dentures, the bone under the denture will resorb over time and the denture will not fit. A bridge is another option which damages the two adjacent teeth to mask the tooth deficiency in the middle, but they do not maintain the health of the bone and damage the adjacent teeth. Dental implants are an excellent option.
Your oral surgeon at Greater Atlanta Oral Facial Surgery may also recommend implant-supported dentures or install implants to help support a dental bridge. Implants can replace a single tooth, several consecutive teeth on the same arch, or the full row of top and bottom teeth. If you need all of your natural teeth replaced, your oral surgeon may offer you the option of traditional dental implant surgery or All-on-4.
The latter type of procedure involves your oral surgeon placing two dental implants on your top row of teeth and two on the bottom row. These four implants then support full rows of replacement teeth. The benefit of All-on-4 is that it requires less oral surgery time and you require less time for healing. Your oral surgeon will let you know if you are a good candidate for All-on-4 when you visit for your initial consultation and oral exam.
Why Choose Dental Implants Over Other Types of Restorations?
People who have worn full dentures for years often state a preference for dental implants instead because of the many benefits they offer. They differ from dentures in many ways, including that they remain in the mouth permanently and you care for them just as you would natural teeth. That means you do not have to remove them for cleaning or buy any type of special cleansing tablets. Most importantly, dental implant maintain you bone and prevent more bone loss. Other important benefits of dental implants over dentures include:
- Implants replace the roots of a missing tooth and not just the tooth.
- You can speak more clearly and chew with greater confidence.
- Because dental implants are permanent, you will never face an embarrassing situation of having them possibly fall out in front of others.
- Implants help to strengthen the jaw bone while dentures can contribute to facial sagging.
- You have far fewer eating restrictions with dental implants.
A dental bridge replaces a missing tooth when your oral surgeon affixes a piece of metal to the back of the teeth to the left and right of it to hold a new tooth in place. This requires removing a small amount of enamel. Your oral surgeon also needs to drill away a portion of your tooth when placing a dental crown. Dental implants stand on their own without affecting remaining teeth in any way.
To learn more about dental implants, schedule a consultation by calling our Buckhead office at 404-491-8943 or our Cummings office at 404-609-1730.