Traditional bridges and removable dentures can address minor and severe cases of tooth loss. But they’re also short lived in many ways, and often need replacement every five years or so. But with dental implants, we can offer prosthetics and individual tooth replacement that last for much longer. In today’s blog, your El Paso, TX, dentist talks about the dental implant difference.
Implants vs. Removable Prosthetics
First, you need to understand how the smile changes when you lose a tooth. The body will notice the lack of a tooth root and in response, suspend the flow of calcium and phosphates to the surrounding jawbone. Without these nutrients, the bone loses mass and density and breaks down, changing shape with time. This could not only mean further tooth loss and a prematurely aged appearance, but your removable dentures or traditional bridges could require replacement as this occurs, usually every 5 to 10 years.
But! With dental implants, we insert biocompatible titanium posts directly into the jawbone. The body sees them as natural roots, so osseointegration occurs. This bonding process prevents the loss of mass and density, so your jaw ridge remains unchanged and your facial structure is preserved. Your denture could now last for decades to come, maybe even a lifetime!
Placing New Teeth
Now that you understand the difference, let’s talk about placing the posts. To begin, our team will carefully examine the smile with detailed digital x-rays and intraoral camera images, so we can plan the exact position and angle to insert the posts. We then guide them with digital surgical guides. As osseointegration occurs, this stabilizes the post like natural roots, so you’re now ready for the next step, the part people see when you smile.
Restoring Your New Teeth
For an individual one, our team can add an abutment to the post and then attach a dental crown, one custom-made to ensure a proper fit and a lifelike appearance, blending with the smile. For multiple missing teeth, we can use several posts to support a bridge, or even a full or partial set of dentures, so you have a complete smile that you care for as you would natural teeth. If you have any questions about how we address missing teeth with implant dentistry, then contact our team today to learn more. We’re ready to help you smile with confidence again!
TALK TO SUNNY SMILES IN EL PASO, TX, ABOUT IMPLANT DENTISTRY
Our team is eager to help you enjoy a full smile again with implant dentistry. If you’re ready to schedule a visit and gain a full smile again, then contact our Sunny Smiles location on N Zaragoza Rd in El Paso, TX at 915-849-9000.