Thanks to the internet and today’s search engines, there are no mysteries anymore. Whether you want to know more about an obscure movie from the 1940s, how to make a cake, or how to get to pretty much anywhere, it’s all available at your fingertips. Despite this, there are many things about dental implants that fly under the radar and require some digging to find. Before you pick up your virtual shovel, here are four little-known facts about the most highly recommended tooth replacement in the world.
They Lower Your Risk of Additional Tooth Loss
An unfortunate fact in dentistry is that when a tooth goes missing, the chances of the nearby ones also “disappearing” increase significantly. This is because an absent tooth can cause the bone in the area to weaken, plus a person becomes more susceptible to gum infections. However, on top of replacing a tooth, an implant can protect the neighboring teeth from future issues, enabling the bone and supportive tissue to remain strong and healthy. This can save a person a lot of trouble (and expense) moving forward.
They Restore More Chewing Strength Than Dentures
Today’s dentures are amazing, featuring comfortable and secure bases as well as beautiful, natural-looking teeth. Despite this, even the best removable prosthetics only restore about 20-25% of a patient’s original chewing strength. How do implants compare? Studies show that they bring back about 70%! This allows someone to enjoy a much broader diet and even eat hard-to-chew items like cooked meats and fibrous vegetables with ease.
They Have a 95% Success Rate at 10 Years
Most traditional dentures and dental bridges need to be replaced after five to seven years due to expected wear and tear. As you can imagine, this means their success rate is quite low at the ten-year mark, meaning most people will need a new prosthetic by that time. But dental implants often have a 30+ year lifespan, including a 95% success rate after a decade. For patients, this means less fuss and expense because they don’t have to spend money on replacement teeth multiple times.
They Can Be Relatively Inexpensive
The two most common things known about dental implants are that they bring back the root and crown of a tooth (as opposed to just sitting on top of the gums), and they can be quite pricey…at least up front. While changes to dental insurance plans and the availability of low-to-no-interest financing have definitely made implants more accessible, it’s their longevity that actually matters most when it comes to cost. Expanding on the point above, they often last so long that patients end up spending much less compared to getting new dentures every few years. If you do the math with your dentist (compare getting implants as opposed to multiple bridges/dentures), you’ll find that implants are quite affordable by comparison!
About the Author
Dr. Michael Kirk has been looking after Oklahoma City smiles for more than three decades as a trusted family, cosmetic, and implant dentist. He works proactively to help our patients preserve their teeth for as long as possible, but if they ever need a replacement, he’s able to offer all-inclusive dental implant care. If you’d like to learn more about dental implants in Oklahoma City and what they could do for you, contact Grand Dental Studio today.