What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are replacement tooth roots that act just like natural teeth. A common reason to have dental implants is a broken or missing tooth, which can happen as we age, or by an accident. Dental implants serve an ideal purpose by restoring confidence in yourself, improving appearance and speech, preventing facial sagging, and more. But not just anyone at any stage in their life is a likely candidate for dental implants. Before you get in touch with your Castle Rock dentist about dental implants, here are some helpful tips to help you decide if you’re ready for implants.
Why Dental Implants?
Dental implants are a replacement of your natural tooth’s roots. These implants provide a strong foundation for your removable or permanent teeth. They are modeled after your natural teeth! The advantages of having dental implants are both aesthetic ( the overall appearance) and emotional ( feeling and looking like your own natural teeth.) The implants are specifically designed to fuse with the bone, thus they become permanent. Dental implants improve oral health because, unlike bridges, they don’t require the reduction of other teeth. With teeth bridges, nearby teeth need to be altered to support the implants. These implants make it easier to clean your teeth which improves your oral hygiene. Dental implants are comfortable because they’re actually a part of you now, unlike dentures. Eating is hassle free with dental implants because chewing with the implants is easier, as they function like your own teeth so you can enjoy foods with confidence. Dental implants are durable, convenient, and improve your speech. Unlike dentures which can slide while you’re eating and speaking, dental implants remain in a fixed position so you don’t have to remove them or worry about poor fitting dentures that slip while wearing them. In sum, dentures pale in comparison to dental implants. Implants can give you back your self-esteem and confidence to smile more!
What Is the Best Age for Dental Implants?
The natural next question is, who would be a good candidate for these implants? Ultimately the expert dentists at Castle Rock would best be able to give you this answer. However, it’s safe to say that those who are 65 years of age and older who experience tooth and mouth issues would be good candidates,, but this would ideally depend on the person and their dental health condition. Even older adults aged 80 plus are ideal candidates for dental implants. Candidates’ overall health needs to be considered by the dentist before any procedures can be done.
It’s also wise to diagnose how missing teeth came about in the first place, especially in young adults. While it’s safe to say most young adults lose their teeth in accidents, there are other instances such as drug misuse and poor oral hygiene which should not be overlooked. Should a person under 18 be a candidate for dental implants, an x-ray would determine this. Overall, the best candidates for dental implants would be those who are missing teeth and don’t want bridges, crowns or dentures. Replacing lost teeth is a very important part of your dental hygiene and oral health. Leaving missing teeth alone can result in a much larger issue later on.
What’s Next?
Most people who have had dental implants experience little to no pain or mild discomfort. The feeling of confidence and self-assurance outweighs any temporary uncomfortable feelings. Dental implants are not just for older adults but for those who are in good overall health and would like to build back their confidence in social situations. For more information on dental implants, or to schedule a regular cleaning, make an appointment with our helpful team at Glow Dentistry today.