Why Dental Implants are the Gold Standard for Replacing Missing Teeth

Whether you lost your tooth in a hockey game or due to decay, you have a gap where there should be teeth. At first, you might think that’s no big deal. However, missing teeth can cause unwanted social, emotional, and dental consequences. When it comes to filling in the gap, there’s no better option than dental implants.

At Austin Advanced Dentistry in Austin, Texas, our board-certified dentists use the most advanced technology to ensure your dental implants fit, look, and feel as accurate as your natural teeth.

Here are just a few of the reasons you should consider dental implants. 

New dental implants are more secure than ever

We anchor your implants with a titanium rod that becomes a permanent part of your mouth. Your jawbone grows around this new “root” and keeps it securely in place. You can confidently expect your new implant to be as strong, stable, and functional as your natural teeth. 

Implants keep neighboring teeth from moving

The teeth next to you gradually gravitate toward the empty space whenever you lose a tooth. Over time, you have crooked, misaligned teeth that throw off your bite. This misalignment affects oral health, potentially causing cracked teeth, tooth decay, and jaw damage. Dental implants fill in the space to prevent any misalignment. 

Implants preserve your jawbone 

Your jawbone relies on the motion of your daily chewing to stimulate growth and maintain its density. If you don’t replace your missing tooth, your jawbone begins to deteriorate, and you risk losing more than just a tooth.

Dental implants can preserve your jawbone by creating a sturdy new root that functions the same as your original tooth. This exerts pressure that prompts tissue regeneration and a healthy jaw. This has the added benefit of saving your profile from changing due to skeletal structure malformations. 

Implants make you look and feel good

The top portion of your new dental implant is called the crown, and our skilled technicians make it look so realistic you can’t tell the difference between your artificial and natural teeth. Our expert team matches the shape and color of your existing teeth, and our patients love the porcelain enamel with a realistic and healthy sheen.

You do have other options when it comes to replacing missing teeth. For example, bridges consist of a solid prosthetic made to look like several teeth in a row, but they aren’t as strong and stable as implants, nor do they look as natural.

New technology allows us to replace a whole row, or arch, of teeth with one procedure. So, if you have several teeth missing in a row, it’s now easier to fix it all at once. And implants make eating, drinking, laughing, and speaking a breeze.

Implants benefit your whole mouth

Bridges have a few notable disadvantages that dental implants don’t. For instance, a bridge is held in place by the teeth on either side, which means we have to grind down your existing healthy teeth to cement the bridge onto these teeth. In other words, some of the enamel from the wholesome, adjacent teeth must be removed to accommodate the bridge.

Implants don’t require any alterations to your existing teeth. We simply insert your new implant into the space without having to reduce the size and shape of your other teeth.

Dental implants restore your teeth to full function. And as long as you practice good oral hygiene and get regular check-ups, implants can last many years. 

To learn more about dental implants and how they can bring your smile back, book a consultation with the experts at Austin Advanced Dentistry. Call us today at (512) 886-6734 or request an appointment online.