Two important questions might come to your mind if you’re thinking about dental implants in Raleigh, NC: What are they, exactly, and why choose them over the other available options? Between bridges, dentures, crowns, implants, and the other potential ways to repair broken or missing teeth, you might feel less than qualified to make a good choice. Of course, the best way for you to navigate the whats, whys, and other questions you have is to enlist the help of a Raleigh dentist that you trust, but the following information should also help you get a head start on understanding just what implants are and how they can help you achieve great dental health again.
WHAT ARE DENTAL IMPLANTS?
In Raleigh, NC, you have probably seen many, many implants without realizing it. In fact, you may be surprised to learn how many family members and close friends have them! That’s because a dental implant, when executed skillfully, blends in seamlessly with the surrounding natural teeth and requires practically no special care.
A dental implant is a permanent structure, firmly attached to the dental structure beneath the gum. Once the dentist installs it, the implant is not intended to be removed like dentures. In fact, in the best case scenario, an implant will require no attention other than the oral health guidelines that we are encouraged to follow when caring for our natural teeth. This best case scenario does put some responsibility on the patient to follow those guidelines and protect the implant, but the payoff of having the look, feel, and simplicity of a natural tooth/teeth is worth that responsibility!
WHY CHOOSE DENTAL IMPLANTS?
Your Raleigh, NC dentist may present a few options if you need to replace teeth that have been damaged or extracted. Dentures are removable, but the other options are intended to be permanent. Crowns and bridges require the alteration of the dental structure surrounding the area to be repaired, since they attach to that structure and need it to match a specific pattern. A dental implant, in contrast, fuses directly to the bone at the base of the missing tooth, just as the original tooth did. This requires no alteration to the surrounding teeth, keeping your dental structure as natural as possible.
BENEFITS OF DENTAL IMPLANTS FOR RALEIGH, NC PATIENTS
The simple fact that a dental implant requires almost no special care is a powerful enough reason for patients to choose it over dentures, a crown, or a bridge. Crowns and bridges, while intended to be permanent, are less durable than natural teeth and can suffer damage from any number of common accidents. The ability to install an implant, then in effect put it out of your mind permanently, is a great benefit of modern medical science!
There are other benefits as well, though. Not only does an implant look and function like a natural tooth, but it also feels like one. Perhaps you can remember back to your childhood and how it felt when you lost a tooth. The odd feeling was very distracting until the new tooth replaced it, and it may have even affected your speech and eating for a while. The same thing can happen with a crown or bridge; even a small variation from the way your original, natural tooth felt can distract you and cause irritation on a nearly-constant basis. In the hands of a skilled, highly trained dentist like Dr. Ladimer, dental implants in Raleigh, NC become almost perfect facsimiles of the teeth that they are replacing. Your speech and eating are finally normal again, and you can get back to normal life without being distracted by how your teeth feel.
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, the best way to learn about the other benefits of dental implants in Raleigh, NC and the associated topics you’ll need to know about is to discuss them with your trusted local dentist and his staff. Our highly skilled team at New Hope Dental is eager to help you think through all the factors, consider all your options, decide on the perfect one for you, and explain payment and financing choices that could make it more affordable than you anticipated.