Are you considering getting dental implants? They remain one of the best solutions to missing teeth but are they right for you? We take a look at tooth implant pros and cons to help you make an informed decision.
When you lose a tooth, everyday activities like talking, smiling, and eating can feel uncomfortable. Tooth loss can also affect your confidence and in the long term, it can lead to further dental problems.
For these reasons, it’s important to treat and replace missing teeth as soon as you can. Dental implants are one of the best options for anyone suffering from tooth loss, ending any discomfort, restoring their smile, and ultimately their confidence.
Tooth Implant Pros and Cons
Before replacing your missing tooth, you need to know if a dental implant is the right choice for you. Let’s start by looking at the pros of dental implants…
The advantages of tooth implants
Dental implants provide a long term solution to missing teeth replacement and come with a host of benefits:
The closest thing to real teeth
A dental implant is incredibly lifelike. Once your implant has been placed into your jawbone, you’ll be hard-pushed to tell the difference between your replacement tooth and your real teeth.
Besides looking natural, a dental implant also feels like a real tooth. Because it’s firmly anchored into your jaw, it feels just as strong and stable as your existing teeth.
Dental implants can last a lifetime
Titanium implants are strong and durable. While you may need to replace the crowns every 10-15 years, provided you look after them, your implants can last a lifetime.
Practice good oral hygiene at home and attend regular six-monthly check-ups with your dentist and your dental implant should last for many years to come.
Eat what you want
Unlike bridges and dentures, eating with dental implants doesn’t feel any different to that of your natural teeth. That’s because implants are anchored into the jaw and can’t move or slip.
Once your implant treatment is finalised, there are no food restrictions whatsoever. Whether you fancy food that is crunchy or chewy, a beverage that is hot or cold, you don’t have to worry over your food choices.
Prevent tooth loss
When a tooth is lost, bone resorption starts to take place unfortunately this can’t be halted with conventional dentures or bridges alone.
Alternatively, a dental implant is anchored into your jaw in much the same way as a real tooth. Acting as a replacement tooth root, it stimulates the bone keeping it dense and healthy and preventing any further bone loss from occurring.
Tooth implants are easy to care for
All it takes is daily brushing and flossing, a healthy diet, and regular visits to your dentist – just like your real teeth.
Getting dental implants is cost-effective
While initially, dental implants are the most expensive form of tooth replacement, as a long-term solution – and one that can potentially last a lifetime, they are extremely cost-effective.
Once your implants have been placed you won’t have to pay out for them again. Or at least, not for some while.
Instead, implants are a one-time cost that rewards you with years of confidence and comfort. You’ll soon forget that you even lost a tooth in the first place.
So, that’s the pros of dental implants what about the cons?
The disadvantages of dental implants
While the benefits of tooth implants far outweigh the disadvantages, they are not a treatment that’s suited to everyone. Here are a few reasons that a dental implant may not be right for you.
You need to meet certain criteria
Before getting dental implants a person has to meet certain criteria They need to:
- Have sufficient healthy bone (although a bone graft can often be provided)
- Be in good physical shape to undergo surgery so your jaw can recover fully
- Not be a smoker (or at least refrain from smoking for several months before, during and after the implant procedure is completed)
The implant procedure can be lengthy
The dental implant procedure is usually carried out in multiple stages over several months to allow for healing to take place and can take up to 9 months. If you’re looking for a quick solution to your tooth loss, implants may not be the right choice for you.
Dental implants are expensive (initially, anyway)
Implants aren’t cheap although they are a long-lasting solution and remain the closest to getting your teeth back. To make implants more affordable we keep costs low and also offer financing options, enabling our patients to pay in manageable instalments.
Tooth implants can fail
While the success rate for implants is high and the majority of dental implant patients will sail through the procedure without any issues, there is a risk of implant failure that can affect around 5-10% of patients.
Implant failure can be caused by insufficient bone, gum disease and some medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes but it can also be caused by poor oral hygiene and smoking.
To limit your risk of dental implant failure, the dentists at No Gaps Dental will assess whether they are right for you during an initial consultation. Should an implant fail due to any of the above issues, it can be removed and we may be able to try again.
Our Verdict on Dental Implants
While there are tooth implants pros and cons the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. If you’re a suitable candidate, getting dental implants to replace missing teeth is the best solution. Once the process is over, you are free to live a normal healthy life, while enjoying your new smile for many years to come.
If you are considering dental implants or want to know more, contact a No Gaps Dental clinic near you or call us at (02) 8007 6727. Our experienced dentists are happy to provide advice and can help you to find the best tooth replacement solution.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.