Your smile is arguably the most important part of your face. It is the first thing that people notice. Missing or broken teeth do more than ruin first impressions and dissolve confidence. They also are bad for your health. Missing teeth make it hard to enjoy nutritious food, and eventually cause other teeth to shift out of place, causing additional bite, speech, and eating problems that can lead to further dental work being needed.

Whether a single tooth to an entire row, dental implants are a permanent and attractive form of tooth replacement and offers convenience and appearance not possible with conventional dentures.

Do you currently have dentures and are noticing a “sunken-in” look to your face?

This is due to age-related bone loss. Make sure that the dental implants bond directly to the jawbone, which encourages bone growth just as a natural tooth would in a process known as osseointegration. This prevents that sunken-in look and allows your implants to age with you.

You have broken or missing teeth

Nothing is worse for your self-confidence than feeling that you have to hide your smile because of a missing tooth. It is hard for your true character to come across when you are too embarrassed to smile. Whether from accidents or medical reasons, tooth loss is something that must be dealt with before other, more serious issues arise. Dental implants look more natural than dentures and are no more difficult to maintain than your natural teeth.

You are having trouble eating certain foods

It is definitely time to consider implants if you find yourself only able to use a portion of your mouth to chew your food, or have to avoid certain foods altogether. This is not only an inconvenience, but it can also make it hard to obtain proper nutrition from the foods you eat.

Are you looking for permanence and stability?

Dental implants offer stability beyond that of bridges and dentures because they become a permanent part of your mouth rather than something that you have to put in and take out every day. Dental implants are permanent structures that are bonded to your jawbone by use of titanium screws, and because of this not only encourage continued bone growth but are integrated with your mouth as fully functional teeth. Dental implants grow with you like real teeth, rather than needing possible replacement in the coming years.

Dental implants have revolutionized reconstructive dentistry over the last quarter-century. As with many treatment procedures, this process evolved through scientific research and discovery, including clinical application. The practice of implant dentistry requires planning and experience and is as much of a art as it is a science. Speak to your doctor to discuss different treatment options, and whether dental implants are right for you.