Safe Dental Implants

Contrary to popular belief, a dental implant is more than just “dentures.” The implant refers to the structure that connects the bone or jaw to a dental prosthetic, like a crown, bridge or denture. Dental implants are also referred to as tooth implants. They’re made to act like a tooth’s root and can be fashioned out titanium, zirconia or ceramic.

It looks like a post, and the crown, bridge or denture is fitted on top of it, rather than affixing directly to the gum line, which is the case with dentures.

Conventional dentures fit over the jaw, and though they’ve come a long way since their invention all the way back in 700 B.C., they still have some disadvantages compared to a tooth implant.

For example, many denture-wearing patients report the following issues:

• Reduced chewing function
• Lack of food enjoyment
• Suboptimal digestion and constipation
• Acid reflux
• Reduced levels of B12, folic acid, and albumin
• Discomfort because of their bulk and movement
• Inconvenience and mess from denture adhesive
• Thinning jaw bones and sunk-in facial features
• Embarrassment from dentures falling out while eating or talking

Because dentures provide only about 20 to 40 percent of normal tooth function, it’s no wonder that candidates have begun comparison shopping and checking to see what their options are. Further, implants restore from 80 to 100 percent of mouth and chewing function.

A dental implant, on the other hand, has none of these challenges. Patients have a natural-looking smile with no impediment to chewing function or food enjoyment.