With the high success rate of dental implants and several benefits of the procedure, the question is no longer whether you should receive implants. The question is, when should you consider implants? If you are having speech issues, you are conscious of your smile, you have a sunken facial structure due to bone resorption, or you have eating difficulties, it is time to consider implants. Consult with your oral surgeon, periodontist, or dentist for a thorough examination and a determination of candidacy. Here are common signs that you require dental implants.
You Have Visible Gaps in the Mouth Due to One or Several Missing Teeth
The primary purpose of dental implants is to replace missing teeth, as they mimic the structure, appearance, and function of natural teeth. With these artificial teeth, no one can tell them apart from natural teeth. Although dental implants are primarily considered cosmetic, they improve tooth functionality, making them critical in tooth replacement.
The main sign that you need dental implants is visible gaps in your mouth where teeth are missing. Tooth loss can occur for many reasons, such as tooth decay, advanced gum disease, facial trauma, congenital defects, or excessive wear and tear. A visible gap in the mouth, regardless of the cause, compromises its structural integrity, leading to many health problems such as infections and persistent headaches.
Unfortunately, many people assume that missing teeth only affects the appearance of the smile, unaware that missing one or more teeth can adversely affect their oral health and daily life. If you do not fill the spaces early, the teeth adjacent to the open socket left by the missing tooth start to shift into the space, causing misalignment, which is responsible for poor eating habits, speech problems, and increased risk of gum disease and decay because of spaces that are difficult to clean.
Additionally, missing teeth can cause super-eruption, in which a tooth opposing the open socket in the upper or lower jaw grows away from its desired position due to a lack of contact. As the unopposed tooth comes into biting contact, it moves out of the gingival margin. The outcome is a tooth with a weak foundation and increased risk of tooth loss.
Dental implants have titanium screws that are surgically implanted in the jawbone and, over time, integrate into your body. These posts act as substitutes for the natural tooth root, providing structural integrity to the surrounding teeth and providing a biting contact for the opposing tooth, enabling proper chewing.
You Have Ill-Fitting Dentures
There are restorative solutions for replacing missing teeth, including dental implants, dentures, and dental bridges. Some patients with missing teeth opt to replace them with dentures for various reasons, including low initial cost. However, removable dentures rest on the gum margins, which can shrink over time, leading to a misfit. If your dentures are ill-fitting, they can result in several issues, including:
- Loosening, slipping, or shifting when talking or eating
- Painful sores or irritation due to the constant wobbling of the dentures
- Problems eating a healthy and balanced diet, as the weak bite caused by dentures forces you to avoid certain foods.
If you are experiencing these problems, it is time to return to your dental expert so that you can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of dentures and why it may be necessary to switch to dental implants. You can choose to stick with dentures, but anchor them to dental implants to prevent slippage and wobbling, which will solve most of the challenges caused by conventional treatment.
If you decide to switch to implant-supported dentures, your dental expert will strategically position the suitable number of implants based on the number of teeth you are replacing. Once the implants fuse with the jawbone, the dentist will snap on dentures on these artificial tooth roots, providing stable anchorage. You will not have to worry about wobbling or slipping, meaning you will no longer require special denture adhesives or avoid certain foods or beverages because you are afraid your restoration will slip or shift. Additionally, implant-anchored dentures will restore your confidence, as you can talk, laugh, or eat in public comfortably without fear of the appliance shifting or falling off.
Jawbone Resorption or Loss
When you stay for long without replacing missing teeth or relying on traditional restorations, such as dentures, the jawbone lacks stimulation from biting and chewing due to the absence of the extracted tooth root. If the jawbone under the open socket is not stimulated, the body recognizes it as serving no purpose and gradually resorbs its tissue, leading to deterioration. Bone resorption weakens the adjacent teeth, further increasing the risk of tooth loss.
As the jawbone shrinks, it loses its definition, the lips become thinner, and the lower face assumes a sunken or collapsed look, making you look older than your actual age. To maintain bone density and mass, you need constant stimulation, which chewing provides. You will need to replace the missing teeth with dental implants, not dentures, because these traditional methods will only stimulate the gum tissue they sit on, which might even accelerate resorption. Dentures constantly rub the gums, causing them to shrink. The loose dentures accelerate the deterioration of the underlying jawbone.
Fortunately, unlike dentures, dental implants are embedded in the jawbone and, through osseointegration, become part of it, making them ideal substitutes for natural tooth roots. Now, whenever you chew or bite, the force is transferred to the jawbone through the artificial root, causing stimulation that is necessary to prevent bone resorption or enable the growth of new bone. The jawbone can maintain its height and density, enabling you to retain the natural facial structure. If the facial structure had already sunk, the growth of new bone would restore your original facial appearance. Dental implants will help you regain and maintain a youthful and healthy appearance in the long run.
You Have a Broken or Severely Cracked Tooth
A root canal treatment or dental crown can restore a damaged tooth. However, when a tooth is broken or has an extensive crack that extends to the pulp, the risk of root canal or dental crown failure is high. Several treatment failures only increase the cost of treatment and expose you to repeated pain during these procedures. Additionally, the risk of the severely cracked tooth causing a severe infection that could spread to the bloodstream if left untreated is high, making extraction the appropriate solution. After extraction, the best tooth replacement is dental implants.
If your tooth is broken or has a crack that has damaged the pulp, you should first determine the extent of the damage and find the most suitable solution. If the risk of root canal failure due to infection is high, it is best to remove the tooth and replace it with an implant to maintain jawbone health, shorten treatment time, and save you money. The implant will function and look like natural teeth and can last for a lifetime with proper care, making it the most suitable solution.
You are Constantly Replacing Dental Bridges
Bridges are a common tooth-replacement option and can serve as an alternative to dental implants. However, these restorations begin to wear, causing a persistent metallic taste in the mouth, a leaking sensation, or difficulty brushing due to loosening and cracks. When your bridges start to show these symptoms, they are nearing the end of their lifespan, which is typically 10 to 15 years. It means you must replace these appliances whenever they begin to show these signs, which can eat into your finances, not to mention the time you spend getting the treatment.
Additionally, dental bridges anchor on healthy adjacent teeth. Before fixing them, your dental expert trims the healthy teeth to accommodate the bridge, compromising their structural integrity. In the future, whenever you remove the bridges, the trimmed teeth are left vulnerable to cracking or breaking due to extensive enamel removal. Every time you replace the bridges, the anchoring teeth must be prepared, which weakens them further. Also, the bridges are difficult to clean, allowing plaque and tartar to accumulate and making you susceptible to oral infections and tooth decay. Treating these conditions requires more invasive and expensive treatments than dental bridges.
So, if you are having trouble with bridges, it is time to replace them with dental implants. First, dental implants are standalone. You do not have to depend on adjacent healthy natural teeth to anchor the restoration, conserving the remaining healthy natural teeth. Additionally, because the implant is self-contained and mimics the natural teeth, standard spaces are left between the teeth, enabling you to maintain proper oral hygiene and to prevent various oral conditions.
Lastly, implants can last up to fifty years, which for some people is a lifetime, depending on when you received the treatment. Their longevity means you might not need to replace the restoration, saving you money in the long run. Further, these restorations are low maintenance, which makes it easy to care for them and retain a healthy, functional, and flawless smile.
Advantages of Choosing Dental Implants
The thought of undergoing surgery during a dental implant procedure can be scary for many patients. However, with advances in the field, these procedures are virtually painless, so you do not need to avoid them. Also, compared to traditional restorations, implants are a game-changer, providing patients with a manifold of benefits. If the dental expert recommends implants, but you have concerns, they should explain the benefits and downsides of the treatment. The pros of dental implants outweigh the cons, which explains why the treatment is popular.
The common benefits of implants include:
- Preserve the remaining natural teeth as they stand alone
- Restore your eating and talking capabilities
- They stabilize dentures, eliminating the challenges associated with these restorations, such as slipping and shifting.
- Establish a sturdy and stable foundation for a dental bridge
- Help the remaining teeth stay in place
- Preserves the jawbone quality and quantity
- Require low maintenance, as you care for them just like natural teeth
- They do not involve other teeth when replacing missing teeth, providing a self-contained solution.
To enjoy these benefits and minimize the risk of complications, you will require an experienced dental surgeon, dentist, or periodontist. If you are considering dental implants, you must prioritize hiring the right dental expert.
Instances When Dental Implants are Not Ideal
While there are instances when you should consider implants for your oral problem, not all patients are eligible for the procedure. The success of the treatment hinges on the density and volume of the jawbone, healthy teeth and gums, and proper oral hygiene.
Osseointegration is a major aspect of dental implant treatment. If the implant fails to fuse with the jawbone, the treatment is deemed to have failed. Successful integration of the implant and bone requires the following:
- A fully developed jawbone, which explains why the treatment age is limited to only adults above 18. If your child is below the age limit, the dentist will recommend temporary restorations until the jawbone is fully developed.
- A high-quality and high-quantity jawbone. The main requirement for a dental implant procedure is a healthy and strong jawbone that can anchor the implant and facilitate osseointegration.
- Excellent dental health with no active dental conditions
- Healthy gums
- Be a non-smoker or ready to quit
- Good medical condition
- Dedication to proper dental hygiene
During the initial consultation, your dentist will inquire about your medical history and whether you are on any medication, because you need to be in perfect health for the treatment to succeed. Medical conditions, such as unmanaged diabetes or autoimmune disease, can prevent or delay osseointegration, making you ineligible for implants. A recent cardiac event, such as a heart attack or stroke, also rules you out of the procedure.
If, after evaluation, the dentist determines that you are a candidate for a dental implant, it is crucial to discuss your expectations to avoid disappointment at the end of the procedure. Having unrealistic expectations and not communicating them beforehand can lead to disappointment. A good dentist will explain what to expect during the procedure and how many appointments you will need. The dental implant procedure is lengthy, and the results are not immediate. Understanding this can help you decide if the treatment is still suitable for your situation.
Find a Competent Dental Implants Provider Near Me
Dental implants have revolutionized restorative dentistry, offering patients many benefits unavailable with traditional restoration methods. So, if you are struggling with jawbone loss, a sunken face, poor speaking and chewing capabilities, a flawed smile, severely cracked or damaged teeth, or are tired of dentures and bridges, you should consider dental implants.
At SoCal Dental of Agoura, we are here to guide you through the treatment, explain the procedure, and establish your candidacy if you are considering implants. Contact us at 818-597-0100 to schedule an examination and discuss your symptoms.
