Dental implants are a significant innovation in the world of oral health because, let's face it, missing teeth are a fact of life for Americans as they grow older. Health statistics bear this out. According to the CDC, people in Prosper, TX, have lost an average of ten teeth by their 50th birthday, which can certainly cause chaos in your mouth when you chew.
So tooth replacement becomes a larger priority as you age so that you can maintain a healthy diet and an attractive smile. Though the fundamental technology behind tooth implants has been around for decades, the refined procedure we perform at Prosper Smiles Family Dentistry has benefits too numerous to mention. But here are some facts that will help you better appreciate dental implant technology.
Fact 1 – Dental Implants Are Highly Versatile
When envisioning a dental implant, you may be likely to picture a single tooth restoration. But if you're missing multiple adjacent teeth, you wouldn't need an implant post for every tooth. In fact, two implants may support a partial denture or bridge that effectively replaces several teeth, even an entire arch.
Fact 2 – Without Titanium, Dental Implants Wouldn't Be Possible
Past efforts to establish dental implants were always hampered because the human body tends to reject foreign materials. But in the 1960s, dental science identified titanium as the ideal material because its biocompatible. Through a process called osseointegration, your titanium implant post fuses to your bone so that the two are essentially one.
Fact 3 – A Bone Graft for an Implant Benefits Other Teeth
Many patients feel discouraged if their jawbone is too diminished to support a dental implant, but the Prosper Smiles team wants you to know that a bone graft does more than support your tooth replacement. First, each of your remaining natural teeth will benefit from the bone graft's extra structure. Then, once your dental implant is complete, the new chewing action from your tooth replacement will stimulate further bone mass.
Dental Implants in Prosper, TX
For our friends and neighbors who suffer from missing teeth, our dentists in Prosper, TX, want you to know that one or more dental implants can change your life for the better. So we encourage you to call and schedule an appointment today.