Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth. – Mallory Hopkins
Do you have broken or missing teeth in your mouth? If so, what should you do? Leave the gaps into between the healthy and whole teeth, ask the dentist to pull all of your teeth and give you a new set of dentures of false teeth, or should you have crowns, bridges, or dental implants fitted to fill the gaps and give you a beautiful white smile?
Unfortunately, teeth do not always last forever. There are many grounds for this; however, these reasons are not part of the scope of this article. The takeaway point here is that teeth break or fall out; consequently, you will be left with broken teeth that cannot be repaired or gaps in between your remaining teeth. Therefore, the question that begs is what should you do to replace the broken or missing teeth?
What are dental implants?
Before we look at reasons why you should consider dental implants, let’s have a look at what dental implants are:
Per-Ingvar Brånemark, a Swedish orthopaedic surgeon, invented them in 1952. In essence, a dental implant is a “surgical fixture that is placed into the jawbone and allowed to fuse with the bone over the span of a few months.” The dental implant replaces the root of a missing tooth and fuses with the jawbone to mimic a natural tooth. Furthermore, a replacement tooth or bridge is usually fastened to this artificial source. The implant is usually manufactured from titanium which helps prevent your body from rejecting the implant.
Why dental implants?
At the outset, it is important to note that dental implants are currently the standard method for replacing missing teeth. Here are some of the reasons why they are the de facto way to fill the gaps in your mouth:
Protect your jawbone
Should you choose not to have a dental implant, and your dentist installs a fixed bridge, your jawbone will begin to deteriorate underneath your missing tooth. Your jawbone is not adequately stimulated if there is no tooth root in your mouth; ergo, it will start crumbling. Eventually, you will need a dental bone graft to repair your jaw.
Prevent your remaining teeth from moving
Your remaining teeth will move into the gaps caused by the missing tooth. Consequently, uneven or crowded teeth are more difficult to keep clean; thus, causing hygiene-related issues later on. These issues will ultimately end up translating into expensive orthodontic treatment and care. Therefore, it is better to have a dental implant fitted as soon as there is a gap between your teeth.
Preserve your appearance
Maintain your face structure and prevent denture-related issues
Dentures often cause a range of complications such as a poor fit, mouth sores, food restrictions and sunken lips. Additionally, dentures will not stimulate your jawbone into growing new, dense bone; thus, allowing it to deteriorate and finally crumble. Ergo, it is far better to consider dental implants rather than a full set of dentures.