Signs That It May Be Time for Dental Implants

Dental implants are titanium posts that are placed in your jaw in order to look and act just like your natural teeth. They are often used to replace teeth that have fallen out or been removed. Dental implants are made of titanium so that the new tooth or teeth will fuse to your bone. This helps with regaining chewing ability, a healthy smile and your jaw and mouth health. With our dental implant technology, you can look and feel like you have your natural teeth back.

Are dental implants the right option for you? You may want to consider them if you’re experiencing one of the following issues.

Are you having denture or bridgework problems?

Dentures are designed to be put in and removed from your mouth to approximate the usefulness and functionality of teeth. They rely on pastes and adhesives to stay attached to your gums. However, ill-fitting dentures can cause a lot of issues in your mouth, such as trouble chewing, difficulty speaking clearly and gum pain or deterioration. They can also be messy, and potentially difficult to use and keep in good condition.

Bridgework can also cause problems in your mouth. Bridges, another type of fake tooth used to fill a space where a real tooth once was, they rely on the surrounding teeth and gums for support. The insertion process often involves grinding down the surrounding teeth and attaching a fake tooth into an empty spot. But bridgework can also trap food and can be hard to keep clean and in good shape. Trapped food can eventually lead to even more tooth decay, and may need to be fixed or adjusted. Your gums could also suffer, since the lack of an actual root can cause jawbone deterioration and changes in the shape and wellness of your gum tissue.

Bridgework and dentures are not designed to last a lifetime. You may have to make trips back to the dentist over the course of time to get them fixed or readjusted to accommodate changes in your mouth and gums. This is why dental implants exist. They act as real teeth, inserted directly into the jaw with no reliance on surrounding teeth. Because of this, they are more easily cleaned and maintained (in the same way that you clean the rest of your teeth). They also keep your gums healthy by simulating the presence of roots, so that your gums will not degrade in response to the absence of bone formation. They are a better long-term solution to tooth loss.

If you have bridgework or denture problems, or if you don’t want to deal with either of these options in response to your tooth loss, it may be time for dental implants.

Are you enduring missing or severely damaged teeth?

Missing or damaged teeth tend to make people feel self-conscious, and having a healthy, beautiful smile can make all the difference. Having a gap in your teeth or a decaying tooth can also cause a good deal of discomfort in your mouth. It makes your jaw and gums more susceptible to disease and bone loss, and it can make it harder to eat.

Other fixes to tooth loss or damaged teeth, like dentures or crowns, provide a partial fix to the problem. They give you back your smile and your ability to chew without actually replacing the full tooth. But these fixes don’t deal with the root issue, and they may also need to be fixed in time. The major advantage of dental implants is that while dentures and bridges only simulate the outer-gum presence of a tooth, dental implants act as real teeth. They provide real support in the long term for your gums and mouth all the way from the jawbone. They don’t rely on surgical alterations to your other teeth to make way for a replacement. If you’re enduring missing or damaged teeth, don’t wait around for the resulting problems to become more severe. It may be time to talk to your dentist about dental implants.

Are you having trouble eating or speaking because of tooth problems or dentures?

Tooth problems, whether they be damaged teeth, missing teeth, ill-fitting dentures, or mouth decay, all have a big effect on your day-to-day life. Chewing becomes more difficult, and food can more easily get stuck and become harder to clean out with regular brushing and flossing. Tooth issues also affect speaking, since they affect your entire mouth and the way your tongue interacts with your teeth and gums. Dentures often don’t fit securely onto the gums, causing you to have to maneuver your mouth and tongue differently to keep them in place. Some people with dentures even have to take them out in order to speak effectively.

A dental implant can replace the problematic tooth or denture was at the foundation (the jawbone). You won’t have to worry about it chafing your gums or making your tongue and mouth move differently. Chewing and tooth cleaning will be easier, since having a dental implant will be just like having your normal tooth back, with full functionality and separation from other teeth included. If you want to bring an end to your problems with eating and speaking as a result of tooth problems, it may be time for a dental implant.

Are you tired of having jaw pain, awkwardness or deterioration?

Tooth problems and ineffective solutions to them can cause a lot of pain and awkwardness. When a tooth is unhealthy or missing, it affects the rest of your mouth and jaw. Without healthy teeth, your gum and jaw health will steadily decline, and with them, comfort inside your mouth. Your gums degrade, and may become swollen, shrunken or diseased without teeth in their proper place. With gum deterioration also comes bone loss in your jawbone, effectively putting your entire mouth in danger of disease and degradation as a result of a lack of support.

Dental implants stimulate a healthy mouth through their thorough replacement of a missing or damaged tooth. They integrate with the jawbone to keep it from resorping, or shrinking away. If you’re tired of putting up with jaw pain and awkwardness in your mouth from tooth issues and less-effective healing solutions, it may be time for dental implants.

Dental implants are a safe, long-term and effective way to regain functionality and help prevent disease in your mouth. With a 98 percent success rate, it’s no wonder people choose this route for making their mouths healthy again! Don’t wait to fix your smile and regain quality of life. Contact Forest Smiles to make an appointment today!