6 Unique Dental Implant Benefits That Can Improve Oral Health

With around 10 million dental implants being placed worldwide annually, it’s no surprise that implant-based-restorations are a popular form of missing tooth replacement. But while they have their drawbacks, dental implants also have many unique benefits that other tooth replacement options can’t provide. 

So if you have one or more missing teeth and are looking for options, here are 6 unique dental implant benefits that can help to improve your oral health…

Dental implants are versatile

You may already know that a dental implant can replace a single missing tooth, but did you know an implant-based restoration can also be used to replace several or more missing teeth? 

While they can, of course, be fitted with a crown to replace a single tooth, implants can also be fitted with a bridge or partial denture to replace multiple teeth or a full denture to replace an entire arch of missing teeth. This versatility enables our dentist to custom-design the right treatment for you, providing greater ongoing oral health both now and in the future. 

Dental implant benefits – comfort and stability

The contrast in terms of comfort and stability between dental implants and other teeth replacement options is like night and day. A conventional denture, for example, sits on the gum line and is secured using a combination of suction and/or dental adhesive. Over time, dentures can be prone to movement in the mouth causing sores and irritation. 

A dental implant, on the other hand, is designed to be anchored directly into the jawbone by means of a titanium post. Over a short time, the surrounding bone tissue grows over the implant creating an ultra-strong platform that can support a prosthetic tooth or appliance. This enables your implant to feel exactly like your natural teeth while providing the utmost stability for attached prosthetics like implant-supported dentures. So much so, in fact, that it’s easy to forget that your implants were even there.    

No negative impact on remaining teeth

Perhaps one of the greatest dental implant benefits with regards to oral health is that a dental implant has no negative impact on remaining natural teeth. 

Because dental implants are supported the same way as natural teeth – by being anchored into the jawbone – they don’t rely on the support of other teeth to aid stability. 

Bone loss prevention

Did you know that once a tooth is missing, it kick starts a chain of events that culminates in facial bone loss? In fact, it’s estimated that in the first 12 months after tooth loss, around 20% of the bone is lost rising to around 40% during the first 3 years. That’s enough to cause huge changes to facial structure making you appear much older than your years.

Unfortunately, conventional tooth or teeth replacement options are not able to halt this process but dental implants can. 

Because a titanium root is anchored into the jawbone, it stimulates the remaining bone tissue, preventing it from reabsorbing back into the body. The result is that as well as providing great aesthetics and functionality, dental implants have the ability to protect and preserve your facial shape for many years to come.  

Greater functionality – improved health

When it comes to dental implant benefits, this one is perhaps the most important in terms of your oral and overall health. Because a dental implant is designed to mimic a natural tooth in many ways, it provides greater chewing ability. In fact, somewhere between 80% and 90% of the bite force of your natural teeth is the norm. This permits you to eat whatever you like allowing you to follow a healthy well-balanced diet if you prefer. 

To see just how much of a benefit this is let’s take a look at conventional dentures. Despite the fact that a denture does a good job of restoring the aesthetics of a smile, a conventional denture will offer the wearer a very limited bite force – usually between 20-30% of their natural teeth. As a result, denture wearers are often forced to avoid some foods which make up part of a well-balanced diet. Foods like lean meats, crisp apples, and nuts all have health and nutrient benefits but can be difficult to chew and digest for wearers of dentures.    

Dental implants Increase self-confidence

If you have a gappy smile you already know how self-conscious it can make you feel. But while all forms of teeth replacement can reinstate a smile, dental implants are the only form of missing tooth replacement that delivers a smile that looks and feels natural. Dental implants allow you to smile, talk, and eat with confidence and without fear or anxiety. Moreover, they allow you to do it for many years to come.

So there you have it… 6 dental implant benefits that can improve both your oral, physical, and to a certain extent, mental health. 

If you are a good candidate for dental implant restorations then you’ll be investing in durable, long-lasting, and lifelike teeth that serve to fully restore your smile while improving both your short and long-term health. 

To find out if you can benefit from the latest dental implants, come and talk to the team at DDSS/DDII. We are among the leading exponents of digital implant dentistry in Sydney so call us at (02) 8294 5812 for Sydney and (02) 8294 8656 if you are in Gosford, or book online for a consultation today.