Implants are the next best thing to natural teeth.
When it comes right down to it, dental implants are the best tooth replacement option modern dentistry can provide. This isn’t just due to their natural appearance or high success rate. It is also because of their function, versatility, and the unmatched benefits they provide for your oral health. While receiving implants isn’t an immediate fix — the entire process takes about six to eight months and involves embedding titanium metal rods into your jawbone — it permanently restores your smile, allowing it to look, feel, and function exactly as if you had all of your natural teeth. Dental implants allow you to create a beautiful, durable smile that helps you look and feel like yourself again, giving you the confidence to smile without worry.
If you’re considering beginning a search for “dental implants near me” but aren’t quite sure whether they’re right for you, here’s a breakdown of the treatment’s benefits.
Implants bond with your jawbone.
When it comes to the function of implants, their single greatest feature is likely their ability to bond with your jawbone by encouraging bone growth. This ability fuels all of the functional qualities that give implants such an advantage over other tooth replacement options. On a basic level, it serves the threefold purpose of rooting the implant even more securely in place and preventing — and sometimes even reversing — bone loss. Since other tooth replacement treatments are much more surface-level, implants are the only treatment that can prevent or reverse the bone loss that occurs in your jaw when you lose a tooth.
They allow you to chew and eat foods naturally.
The secure bond between your implant and jawbone gives it the stability and strength of a natural tooth. This deep-rooted stability helps the implant feel and function like a natural tooth. You can bite into, chew, and eat food, from chewy steaks to hard apples or toffee, just like you would with your natural teeth. There is no need to worry that the implant will fall out or buckle under the pressure. You can relax and go about your day without even thinking about your implant.
Implants are incredibly versatile.
Implants always consist of a titanium metal rod and an attachment called an abutment that’s capped with a tooth prosthetic. In many cases, implants are capped with dental crowns to replace a single missing tooth. They can also be capped with bridges, partial dentures, and full dentures to replace multiple teeth or completely rebuild your smile. Additionally, Dr. Bentz can place your implants wherever you need them, so you can replace a missing front tooth, a missing molar, or both. This versatility works together to make implants incredibly adaptable to your unique treatment needs. Implants can provide you with beautiful, functional results whether you want a smile makeover, need to rebuild your smile, or simply want to replace a missing tooth.
Their aesthetics can’t be beat.
The crown, bridge, or dentures capping your implant are designed specifically for you. They are milled from porcelain, which mimics natural teeth perfectly — especially since the restoration is made to match the color and gloss of your natural teeth. To ensure you’ll love your new smile, Dr. Bentz helps you choose the size, shape, and shade of your new teeth. If you’re replacing one or two missing teeth, this helps them blend in with your natural teeth. No one will even know they’re there. If you’re getting a smile makeover or replacing many teeth, however, it helps you design a smile that complements your facial features.
No two implants look exactly alike; your new teeth won’t look like they’ve come off an assembly line or like they were designed for someone else. They won’t even look like they were designed for you; they’ll just look natural! This ensures you can restore your smile to its full potential, allowing you to feel confident and at home with your smile.
Implants are durable.
Since your jawbone grows around your dental implant to anchor it in place, it’s incredibly durable. If you care for it properly, it should last your entire life. Severe periodontal disease, called periodontitis, can still cause an infection around your implant and cause it to fail, so caring for your oral hygiene is incredibly important. Thankfully, your implant will thrive throughout your lifetime with the same regular and dedicated oral hygiene routine your natural teeth need to stay healthy.
This means you should brush your teeth for two minutes at least twice a day and use mouthwash and floss at least once a day. You should also visit Dr. Bentz for a preventive appointment every six months. With this basic level of care, your implants should last you a lifetime, though the crown capping will likely need to be replaced every 15 years or so due to wear and tear.
Implant technology is constantly improving.
The technology that goes into making and placing implants improves with each year, which means this year is the best year ever to get an implant procedure done! These new technologies are allowing dentists to plan the placement of implants better, predict complications that could arise during the procedure, reduce the risk of infection, and encourage faster healing times. As a result, getting an implant is safer and more painless than ever before, with an estimated success rate of 98%.
If you’re considering getting an implant, there’s no better place than Bentz Dental Implants and Prosthodontics. We use cutting-edge dental tools and technology to provide patients with the best possible care; very few dental centers can do what we do.
When you get an implant at our office, we first use a CAT scan to create 3D models of your tooth, bone structure, and oral cavity. Dr. Bentz uses this information to simulate the surgery and identify issues that may crop up during the procedure. A biomedical engineer will review the 3D model and simulation to examine your unique bone and tooth structures. This allows them to provide a precise guide for the type of implant treatment, as well as what position the implant should be placed in, ensuring it’ll feel natural and won’t cause any issues with your TMJ. The team is then able to model your implant, teeth, and jaw structure using CAD and 3D printing to ensure everything fits together and to mill the final prosthetic. Each of these steps uses the latest cutting-edge technology, so that your procedure goes smoothly and yields the best results possible.
They cost more than other treatments, but there are ways to afford your implant.
You may find yourself thinking, “That sounds expensive! How much do dental implants cost?” The price of an implant varies greatly based on each individual’s treatment needs, so it’s hard to pin down an exact estimate for the cost of your implant without knowing your treatment needs. Dental implants usually aren’t covered by dental insurance, but your medical insurance may cover it as a surgical procedure. So while you should expect a bigger price tag than other treatments, there are ways you can reduce costs. The long-term oral health benefits, comfort, and durability of dental implants make the cost worth it for many patients. Dr. Bentz can provide you with an estimated cost and discuss financing options with you during your initial consultation.
Dental implants are a unique, versatile treatment option that can give you a healthy, beautiful smile you can be truly confident in. If you’re looking for prosthodontics specialists in Philadelphia who can help you create the smile of your dreams, feel free to call our office and schedule an appointment at any time.