People who have lost permanent teeth are in the market for dental implants, but education on the procedure will help you decide if this is something you want to go through with. Dental implant dentistry is designed to help patients regain functionality of their teeth. If you are needing an artificial tooth, consider the following pros and cons of dental implants.
Pro - Improve Your Bone Health
In dental implant surgery, the tooth is removed from the root, which helps protect the bones in your mouth. When you remove an infected or damaged tooth, you are preserving the health of the rest of your mouth. In some situations, an infection can spread to surrounding teeth, so removal of the problem area is the best way to improve the health of your bones. A new, artificial tooth is placed in the spot of your existing tooth making it easier to chew as you once did.
Con - Expensive Treatment
Regardless of your dental insurance coverage, most dental offices require you to pay part of the procedure out of pocket. Your insurance will cover part of the procedure, but this is one of the most expensive dental procedures you can undergo. However, your dentist's office will more than likely be willing to work with you on payment plans to help make the procedure reasonable for you.
Pro - Gained Confidence
People who have a tooth missing are often self-conscious of their smile and are looking for a way to regain their confidence again. With dental implant dentistry, you can regain confidence, and your new tooth will not affect your speech like the other option on the market - dentures. The great thing about dental implants is that they function just regular teeth, and once your healing time is over, you won't even notice a difference.
Con - Takes Time to Recover
As with any procedure you might undergo, dental implants take time to fuse to the jawbone, which means that you will not feel better overnight. During your recovery process, you will need to be careful what you eat so you do not damage the new tooth as it is setting in. It is important to be aware of your oral health during your recovery period as you might be prone to infections. If you notice any complications, be sure to contact your dentist immediately.
To learn more about dental implants, contact a dentist.
Our oral surgery and general dental website offers important information on how to prevent dry socket following a tooth extraction. After getting your tooth pulled, a protective blood clot develops over the extraction site. Many of our blog posts explain how this protective clot helps promote healing after an extraction.
You'll learn that if the clot is accidentally dislodged, dry socket may occur, which can raise your risk for infection and heavy bleeding. We'll provide you with important tips on how to prevent this by avoiding smoking and drinking through a straw. You'll also learn that swishing water around your mouth should be avoided for a couple of days following your extraction because doing so creates a suction that may dislodge your clot, leading to dry socket.