15 Jan Are dental implants affordable?
Missing teeth has devastating effects on a person’s well-being and oral health. Dental professionals recommend replacing lost teeth as soon as possible to stave off the far-reaching effects of tooth loss.
When evaluating your tooth replacement options, you are probably considering cost in your decision making process. Although upfront costs of dental implants are higher than other prosthetics, it is important for patients to evaluate the longevity or lifespan of a particular prosthetic as well as repair costs when deciding what makes replacement teeth affordable. Since dental implants can last a lifetime, with no need for repairs or replacement, these prosthetic teeth can actually be far more cost-effective when compared to dentures or bridges, which typically require repairs and replacement every few years.
Why are dental implants so durable?
Dental implants are ideal for replacing missing teeth because they are very durable and low maintenance. Implants are durable for a few reasons but primarily because of their metal construction and the way in which they are placed in the mouth. Titanium is used to construct dental implants because the body reacts to this metal as if it were hard tissue like bone or the roots of teeth. The implant is shaped like a cylinder and is embedded into the jawbone by an oral surgeon. With time, the jawbone will integrate to the titanium cylinder as if it were the roots of teeth, stabilizing it in place. Since the implant is rooted into the jaw, it will durably support a prosthetic crown or bridge for decades to come.
How do I care for dental implants?
Compared to other replacement teeth, implants are quite easy to care for. Once they have stabilized, patients will brush and floss the prosthetics attached to implants like they would natural teeth. Unlike dentures, implants are not removed for external cleaning or overnight soaking. Patients with dental implants should strive to keep their gums and neighboring teeth as healthy as possible with proper oral hygiene and regular dental care.
To schedule a tooth replacement consultation with our oral surgeon, call our office today!