Everybody wants a beautiful smile. It’s how you introduce yourself to the world, before first words are ever spoken in greeting. But sometimes life has an interesting way about it, and whether it’s an accident, a fight, a fall, or old age, we are all susceptible to losing a tooth or two. And even if you decide to own your new smile, it is indeed different than it once was. If you do decide you want your old smile back, you are in luck, because the technology that we have available to us today allows just that. Though there are currently only about 10% of the dentists working in the U.S. today who execute dental implant procedures, the chance that an implant dentist will be seeing an increase in patients is quite good. Around 3 million Americans have gone through the procedure and currently have implants, and that number rises by about 500,000 each year.
Why consider an implant dentist?
Around 3.75% of Americans ages 20 to 64 have no remaining natural teeth. That percentage grows to 31.3% for Americans over age 75. Even more wear at least partial dentures. But if you’re looking at getting new dentures, or you are going to visit a cosmetic dentist to fix some gaps in your smile, think about how much more convenient permanent dentures would be. Prosthetic teeth inserted by an good implant dentist generally have lifespans of around 10 to 15 years, compared to the seven to 10 years of regular dentures, not to mention all of the extra servicing and care that they require. On top of that, scientific literature has claimed that the success rate of dental implants is as high as 98%.
Are implants really better than regular dentures?
The good thing here is that you have options. But the reason implants are growing in popularity in comparison to regular dentures is that they are almost across the board more convenient and comfortable. Dentures can cause pain, diet restrictions, jawbone deterioration, and sunken lips and cheeks among other things that make you look and feel older than you are. Of course, no matter what, you will still need regular checkups with your dentist to ensure your overall oral health, but dentures require much more attention and maintenance than implants do. And another added bonus is that most dentists who are capable of doing the procedure also have the technology to show you the finished product through digital imaging, before the implant process has even begun!
Your smile is radiant, whether you have all your teeth, none, or somewhere in between. But if you want to add to it, or bring it back to its former glory, dental implants are great to consider.