Dr. Harper is one of the most highly trained and well-qualified restorative and cosmetic dentists in the Hampton Roads area for dental implant procedures. He provides coordinated treatment with specialists for the expert restoration of dental implants. If you are considering replacing a missing tooth with a dental implant, we are here to help you navigate through this process. When you choose dental implants as your tooth replacement option, you can look forward to the following benefits:
No External Dental Hardware
Dental implants involve a surgical procedure in which a titanium post is inserted into your own soft tissues and allowed to fuse together with your jawbone. What this means is that once the post has fully healed, it will be protected by your own soft tissues. Providing support similar to your natural tooth roots, this post will be completely concealed meaning you will not have any external dental hardware as you would with other replacement options like a dental bridge. While dental bridges can just as effectively replace a lost tooth, they require the external support of your surrounding teeth to hold a prosthetic tooth in place. Often, this places extra strain on your surrounding dental structures and leaves your restored tooth at risk when you are eating excessively crunchy or chewy foods. For this reason, many patients prefer dental implants because once the implant is healed, it performs just as your natural tooth would–meaning no dietary restrictions and no oral hygiene hazards!
Reduced Risk of Bone Loss
If you are missing one tooth or several teeth, you are more at risk of experiencing bone loss. Because your jawbone has lost the support of your tooth roots in that area, it becomes weaker. This means that you may experience facial sagging in that area over time due to the lack of support. When you replace a missing tooth with a dental implant, you are choosing a restorative option that supports your jawbone and will help maintain your facial structure. Patients who have lost teeth are at risk of developing more complex dental issues down the road as a result of subsequent bone loss and shifting of remaining teeth. In addition, many are faced with diminished speech capability and dietary restrictions. This is why it is so important to pursue your tooth replacement options as soon as possible following tooth loss.
Beautiful End Results
While the dental implant process may take a little longer than other restorative options, it’s important to remember that your end results will look, feel, and function just like a natural tooth. Dental implants have a very high patient satisfaction rating for this reason. Once completely healed, it will be hard to tell your dental implant from your remaining natural dental structures. They are designed to blend in with the rest of your teeth so that you are left with a completely restored smile. Missing teeth can hinder both dental health and quality of life. The replacement of missing teeth will restore your confidence and increase your quality of life and health. If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of dental implants, schedule an appointment with Dr. Harper today!