Dental Implants: The Top Solution for Replacing Missing Teeth

Missing teeth at any stage of life can be depressing. No one wants to deal with changes in speech, sagging facial muscles, and bone deterioration, among other issues that come with missing teeth.

However, missing teeth is a part of life. It can be due to gum disease, tooth decay, accidents, etc. For this reason, our dentist in Seattle offers dental implants as a long-term and practical solution for missing teeth.

Dental implants are not new and have evolved in the last six decades, and now they are more realistic and versatile than ever before. Let’s see what they are all about.

How Do Tooth Implants Work?

Teeth have a crown, which is the visible part that sits above the gum line, and the root, which is the part attached to the jawbone. For a tooth replacement option to be effective, it needs to replace the entire tooth. Dentures and bridges replace the crown or visible part of the tooth. However, they cannot replace the entire tooth like how tooth implants can.

Dental implants are root replacements. The implant is roughly the same size as the root. This feature alone is enough to make them the best and most practical solution for replacing missing teeth.

An implant, which is made from titanium, is placed by our endodontist in your jawbone. When the jawbone heals, it fuses with the titanium implant. After fusion, the titanium implant permanently becomes the tooth root.

The procedure is not complete since the implant has to be covered to be fully functional, and this is where dentures, crowns, and bridges come in handy.

If you decide to replace missing teeth, you need a solution that looks realistic and can function like your natural teeth. Implants can do this for you.

Why Choose Implants?

You might be wondering why tooth implants are considered the go-to option for replacing missing teeth. Here are the reasons why our dentist in 98013 may recommend them:

• StabilityWe cannot stress this enough. Having loose teeth is not a good feeling; it is even worse when your tooth replacement option cannot sit still in the mouth. Healthy teeth are stable, and for this reason, they carry out their function without glitches. Dentures use adhesives, whereas bridges need abutment teeth for anchorage.On the other hand, implants replace the entire tooth and, therefore, give them the ability to function like natural teeth.
• DurabilityAs you know by now, your permanent teeth are meant to stay with you through life. However, if they do not, then the next best thing is dental implants. Titanium is a sturdy material, which means that it can stand the test of time.
• Bone HealthOne of the reasons why teeth replacement is vital is to maintain bone health. It is natural for your bone health to deteriorate whenever you lose teeth. The jawbone gets stronger whenever you chew. So, if the tooth is replaced, then chewing is restored, stopping the further deterioration of the bone.

Application of Dental Implants

Implants are versatile; therefore, they can be used in various treatments. Since the whole idea is to replace the entire tooth and not only the crown, dental implants can be used with other treatments to complete your smile. Other treatments include:

• Implant-Supported BridgesYou can consider implant-supported bridges as an upgrade to the conventional bridges, which include a false tooth (pontic) and a crown attached to it either side. In a conventional bridge, the crowns would be attached to your natural teeth that are on either side of the space where your missing tooth once occupied.With implant-supported bridges, the crowns are placed on dental implants that are inserted into your jawbone.
• Implant-Supported DenturesTraditional dentures have been around for a while. However, they are known to be uncomfortable since they need adhesives to be fixed on the gum.With implant-supported dentures, the denture is attached to an implant, thus making it more stable than traditional dentures.