Dental implants aren't for everyone, and in fact, if you have too many teeth that either must be removed or your jaw isn't healthy enough to support them, then you most likely will be issued dentures. However, if you are considering dental implants instead, there are some interesting facts you should know that can help make you decide if this is the right direction for you.

High Success Rate

The rate that dental implants are successful is really determined on the health of your jaw and surrounding teeth. If your gums and jaw are in great shape, however, then dental implants just might be the way to go. When the procedure is completed by an expert, there is a very high success rate of the implants adhering naturally and remaining useful for the patient for the rest of their life. It is true that you have a great chance of the dental implants being successful even if your regular dentist has been trained in the procedure.

Eating is Easier

Dental implants make eating much easier for you than traditional dentures do. Dentures tend to shift and move when speaking or eating making it difficult at times to enjoy your meal. Dental implants, on the other hand, feel like regular teeth and will not shift out of place, making for a more natural and enjoyable eating experience. A great advantage is most patients can apply the same amount of force when eating that a person will all their teeth can.

Protects Your Jawbone

While dentures can help you replace missing teeth so you can still enjoy a solid meal, they won't protect the bone density in your jawbone. Dental implants, however, act as surrogate teeth and have their own 'root.' The implanted portion of the tooth acts similarly to the tooth's natural root, making contact with the bone under the gum and encourages the bone to continue to grow new tissue around the implant, just as it would if the tooth were present. If the implant wasn't there, the jawbone will gradually lose density and mass over time. This is what leads to needing to be fitted for new dentures every few years.

Protect Healthy Teeth

If you opt for a bridge when you lose a single tooth or even multiple teeth in the same area, the bridge is attached by cutting into the healthy teeth and anchoring it to them. After a while the wire holding the bridge in place will wear down the healthy teeth and they will need fixing. Dental implants can protect healthy teeth because they have their own anchoring root and do not need to be attached to neighboring teeth.

For more information, contact local professionals like Oral Surgery Associates Inc.