Recently, more and more oral health professionals have been recommending dental implants to their patients as a means of replacing teeth. In fact, it’s estimated that about 500,000 dental implants are placed every year. But while the treatment has many advantages, it’s important to question whether it’s truly necessary in your case. Should you have healthy, natural teeth replaced by dental implants? Your oral surgeon is here to help you find the answer.
What Makes Dental Implants Such a Great Tooth Replacement Option?
You may have heard some experts refer to dental implants as “the gold standard of tooth replacement.” How did the treatment earn this title? Simply put, it’s due to the way dental implants can act as new tooth roots once they have joined with the jawbone. As such, they offer a number of unique advantages, such as:
- Having chewing power that’s comparable to that of your real teeth, thus giving you the freedom to eat whatever you want.
- Providing a high level of stability so that your replacement teeth don’t shift around inside your mouth.
- Giving stimulation to the jaw to prevent bone loss.
- Being able to last for decades as long as you perform the right kind of maintenance.
So Should You Replace Your Healthy Teeth with Dental Implants?
Dental implants are definitely worth considering if you truly need them – but the key word there is “need.” If your teeth are still in excellent shape overall, then it’s better for your oral health if you simply leave them in place. After all, while dental implants do a better job than traditional replacement options of mimicking the functions of your natural teeth, it’s always better to stick to the real thing if you can.
Even if your natural teeth have become injured or decayed, you should still explore possible options for saving them – such as dental crowns or fillings – before you resort to having them extracted and replaced with dental implants.
When Should Natural Teeth Be Replaced with Dental Implants?
There are a few circumstances where replacing a tooth with a dental implant might be necessary. Here are a few examples:
- The tooth has been knocked out of your mouth entirely and can’t be re-implanted.
- The tooth is so badly broken that fixing it with a crown or another restoration is no longer possible.
- The tooth is severely infected and needs to be removed to protect the rest of your mouth.
If you speak to your oral surgeon, they can help you gain a better understanding of your situation and determine whether getting dental implants to replace your teeth is really the best choice.
About the Practice
At South Florida Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, we have multiple board-certified oral surgeons who work together to help Jupiter patients protect their smiles. You can count on us to rebuild your smile from the roots up with expertly placed dental implants. If you would like to schedule a dental implant consultation at our office, visit our website or call (561) 743-8311.