By Rafael Mercado, DDS on April 23, 2021
With a 95% success rate, dental implants are the next best alternative to your natural teeth. Patients with missing and loose teeth continue to choose dental implants for their seamless appearance, increased comfort, and superior function.
Dr. Mercado in Castle Hills, TX, practices state-of-the-art, family-focused restorative dentistry with durable solutions. Dr. Mercado’s staff is well-equipped to execute every single stage of dental implantation to ensure that patients receive results in a timely and efficient manner. Let’s look at five key benefits of implant dentistry.
Natural-Looking Appearance
Dental implants are a versatile solution to restore inadequacies in your smile. The implants themselves are placed into the bone below the gumline to replace the missing tooth root. Once the implant and jawbone have integrated (a process called osseointegration), a natural-looking restoration is attached to the top of the implant.
Formed from color-matched, stain-resistant materials, your dental restorations should help you achieve your dental health goals. If you are anticipating a crown, bridgework, or dentures, the implant restoration will be created using past dental records as well as new impressions to help ensure proper fit and a natural appearance.
Permanent Results
Titanium screws, which act as your natural tooth root, secure dental implants into your jaw. When successful osseointegration occurs, titanium screws are strong and durable.
Osseointegration is when your natural bone tissue fuses with the implant permanently. In addition to being biocompatible to prevent rejection, titanium is chosen for dental implants because it:
- Bonds well with human bone
- Is completely resistant to fluid and tissue corrosion
- Naturally forms a protective oxide film upon exposure to oxygen
Comfortable Implant Restorations
Not only should dental implants look great, but they should feel great too. Dental implants are crafted specifically for your unique comfort and fit.
The number of implants and type of restoration required will be based on how many teeth are missing or need to be removed. Our office in Castle Hills, TX, offers many options for treating different degrees of tooth loss:
- Crowns can replace a single tooth
- Bridges are used to fill in a gap of two or three consecutively missing teeth
- All-on-4® or traditional implant-supported dentures can replace an entire row of missing teeth
Prevents Bone Atrophy
Dental implants improve facial and bone features in both appearance and performance. Dental implants restore characteristics of beauty because they reduce pressure and tension on the remaining oral structures. They also preserve bone and decrease further deterioration that results in shortening jawbone height.
If you are currently experiencing bone loss, then you must have a bone graft procedure before any dental implants can be placed.
- If you are missing hard tissue in your upper jawbone around the molars and premolars, you will need a sinus lift.
- If you are missing tissue from your lower jawbone, you will likely need an alveolar bone graft.
Grafting bone to your jaw will give the implant a firm foundation for successful osseointegration.
Improves Your Quality of Life
Do missing teeth affect your diet and nutrition? Are missing teeth hindering your confidence and causing you to avoid social events? Do you have a speech impediment because of tooth loss? Do you have dentures that don’t stay put even after using creams and adhesives?
Dental implants are linked to a considerable increase in smiling and speaking. Enjoy your favorite foods again with fully functioning dental implants. You will also not feel judgment because of tooth gaps, or because your denture slips out at inopportune times.
Schedule a Consultation
In most cases, dental implants enhance your health and improve your outlook on life. You deserve to be the best version of yourself. Send us a message online or call (210) 405-1257 to book a dental implant consultation with Dr. Mercado in Castle Hills, TX.