* They protect facial bone and healthy teeth. Leaving empty spaces in your mouth after losing one or more teeth can lead to jawbone deterioration and other health issues. When dental implants are placed in your jawbone, they bond with your natural bone. They're the only tooth replacement option that stimulates bone growth and prevents bone loss, as well as keeps your facial structure intact. Another advantage is that they don't require grinding down adjacent teeth as is required to anchor bridges or attach partial dentures.
* They're more affordable than you might imagine. At first glance, dentures or removable bridges might seem like a better deal than dental implants, given their lower upfront costs. But the full financial and emotional cost of dentures or bridges can run much higher than dental implants when you factor in ongoing maintenance costs, the inconvenience and time-consuming hassle of removing dentures for cleaning,
and the need for frequent replacement.
Add in health costs if your jawbone starts to deteriorate, and the social costs of simply not being confident about chewing, laughing, talking or living your life, and compare the costs again.
Dental implant surgery is one of the safest, most predictable procedures in the dental field. But dental implants are complex, sophisticated devices that require deep knowledge and specialized expertise to fit and place properly, so it's important to choose a dental implant dentist with experience and knowledge you can trust. Be sure to ask about his or her training, specializations and credentials. You can also find plenty of additional helpful information on the AAID's consumer website at www.aaid-implant.org, including a Find an Implant Dentist tool to locate an AAID-credentialed dentist near you.
You deserve many reasons to smile. Don't let missing teeth prevent you from getting all the physical and emotional benefits that come with exercising those smile muscles frequently and confidently.