Living with missing teeth? It can make you embarrassed about smiling when you really want to as well as making it difficult to bite and chew certain foods. Read on to learn why a dental implant may be the best bet to restore your smile. Dr. Brent Engelberg of AH Smiles in Arlington Heights, IL wants to explain why patients and dentists both prefer this tooth replacement option.
Why Do People Get Dental Implants?
According to dentistry experts, a dental implant is a permanent solution for restoring missing teeth and the appearance and full functioning of your smile. A dental implant begins simply enough with a tiny titanium post embedded in the jawbone. Onto this post, a dental crown — a lifelike tooth — is mounted. The crown fills in the gap left by a lost tooth, helping you to once again have full use of your teeth for smiling, biting, chewing and talking.
Dental implants have a 95% rate of satisfaction from patients that have received them because they look, feel, and are maintained just like your natural teeth. And while the expense of dental implants may be higher than other options, these benefits and their ease of care make them well worth the extra cost for most patients.
Dental Implants Are Convenient and Comfortable
Living with missing teeth can be embarrassing and difficult, but dental implant surgery is a relatively simple and comfortable procedure. It is minimally invasive and leaves little to no post-procedure discomfort. For most patients, the placement process is very simple and straightforward and can be completed in only one to two visits. For more complex cases such as patients with degraded jawbone tissue, the process can span over several months and involve multiple surgeries to enable the site to support an implant. But those that are simply missing teeth can often get same day dental implants in most cases. Thanks to advances in dentistry, same day dental implants are becoming more commonplace.
For cases that require a bone graft surgery prior to the implant, an evaluation and x-ray by a trained dentist like Dr. Engelberg can tell you if you will need this or are an appropriate candidate for an immediate dental implant.
While dental implants may be more expensive than other options, they don’t need routine replacement or cause the later dental health problems that some other tooth replacement options can. Once the dental implant is installed in the jawbone, it will naturally bond with the bone in a process called osseointegration as it heals over the next few months. This will ensure that the implant is stable and secure. Once the site has fully healed, your smile will again look and function as if it were entirely your natural teeth.
How to Care For and Clean Dental Implants
It’s surprisingly easy to maintain your dental implants. In fact, their maintenance is essentially the same as taking care of natural teeth. Simply follow these basic oral health guidelines:
- Brush your teeth after every meal or at least twice daily
- Floss at least once daily
- Seek treatment for any tooth grinding or clenching habit you may have
- Get regular professional check-ups and cleanings
Dental Implants in Arlington Heights, IL
To get the dental care you deserve from a skilled and professional dentist in Arlington Heights, contact our offices at AH Smiles at (847) 230-9703 or schedule an appointment online with Dr. Engelberg today!