Advantages

Traditional dentistry can provide replacements for missing teeth using bridges, removable partials and dentures. However, each of these solu tions has its own problems.

Bridgework usually involves altering natural teeth to provide a stable foundation for support of replacement teeth. Partials and dentures can, at times, be very unstable, leading to tooth mobility, denture sores or speech difficulties.

Dental implants don't sacrifice the quality of your adjacent teeth like a bridge does because neighboring teeth are not altered to support the implant. Your own teeth are left untouched, a significant long-term benefit to your oral health. Dental implants are secure and offer freedom from the irksome movement of dentures. They eliminate messy denture pastes and glues….and they can’t be misplaced, since they are permanent and non-removable.

While high-tech in nature, dental implants are actually more tooth-saving than traditional bridgework, since implants do not rely on neighboring teeth for support.

Since dental implants integrate into the structure of your bone, they prevent the bone loss that often accompanies dentures. Another little known problem associated with tooth loss is a process known as "atrophy," a shrinking of the jawbone that can progress relentlessly over the years. Bone atrophy not only affects jaw function, but can cause adverse facial cosmetic changes. Dental implants can reduce or eliminate this atrophy.