Teeth are undoubtedly one of a person’s most important and noticeable features, and worldwide people spend a lot of money to have their teeth in the best condition for both health and aesthetic appeal. One of the more prominent problems today is tooth loss caused by injury or poor oral hygiene, as well as other factors. For a long time, the only available solution for tooth loss were bridges and dentures. In current times the best, though the more expensive option is dental implants, which are metal (usually titanium) replacement roots onto which your dentist can fix whole teeth, which fuse together with the jawbone seamlessly in a time span of around three to four months.
So why are dental implants the better option?
First of all, dental implants are better than dentures because they are more comfortable. There is no worry about dental implants slipping or falling out, and they cannot come loose and impede your speech with mumbling or tripping over your words as dentures might. Because these implants are so strongly fixed, you can eat and enjoy your food without the discomfort of sliding dentures. Dental implants are also extremely durable; they can withstand a lifetime of use, whereas dentures and bridges may need to be replaced every 7-10 years. Not only that, but dental implants are permanent, so you do not have to remove them as you do with dentures.
Dental implants are also better than bridges in many ways most importantly good oral hygiene. The process of applying bridges includes filing down surrounding teeth, whereas dental implants may be applied without touching the rest of the teeth, therefore dental implants are better in the sense that they make it possible to work with only one tooth. Not only that, but bridges are harder to clean than dental implants. You may find it impossible to floss between dental bridges, whereas dental implants can be cleaned along with the rest of your teeth. When there is a lack of ability to floss between teeth after a while decay can begin making it possible to lose the whole bridge.
In conclusion, dental implants are a method of fixing tooth loss that is indeed a more extensive and expensive process than dentures or bridges, though in the long term more effective, with less risk of decay, infection, impediment of speech, or difficulty eating.
