Dental implants offer patients in Washington DC, a way to replace missing teeth without ever having to worry about painful, unattractive, or fussy dentures.
This is a very popular treatment for those who lost a tooth or several teeth when they are younger, and have to consider how they will maintain their dentition for many decades to come. However, there are many pros and cons of dental implants that should be considered.
Pro: Dental Implants Are the Most Advanced Option.
When it comes to replacing missing teeth, dental implants are by far the most advanced option a restorative dentist can offer. Implants look, function, and feel like a real tooth. Once your implant is fully healed, you may even forget it is there. Dental Implants are the 21st century approach to replacing a single tooth, span of missing teeth or all of your teeth. The dental implant procedure is easy and the long term success is amazing.
Here at Rockville Dental Arts, our doctor, Dr. Dennis Norkiewicz, is well versed in implant dentistry and has over 20 years of experience with tooth implants. He has successfully placed and restored thousands of dental implants for patients in Washington DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland. Of course there is a small healing period of 2-4 months depending on your overall health and gum health, but typically within 4 months your new teeth are installed.
Con: Implant Dentistry Is Expensive.
Dental implants are not the most affordable dental procedure in the world. This is a surgical procedure performed by only dentists that have extensive training and that requires multiple visits and several steps.
This all makes the cost of dental implants rise. Additionally the parts that go into the mouth are very expensive, much like a BMW or Mercedes, and made of pure grade titanium. Additionally, the success rates are very high for a medical implantation procedure.
Pro: Dental Implants Are Permanent.
Removable dentures have to be removed from your mouth every night (they are like the stars – they come out at night) to be cleaned.
Dental bridges also require regular cleaning by a dental hygienist.
Dental implants, on the other hand, stay put forever. They are implanted into the bone behind your gum, and could not be removed by anyone even your implant dentist in Washington DC. Implants are designed to last up to 40 years or longer! Once the implant is inserted it is designed to stay there forever. They feel like real teeth. They chew like real teeth.
Con: Implant Dentistry Takes Time.
Depending on how fast you heal and how well the implant was placed, it could take anywhere from a few months to a year to complete the entire implant process. Again this depends on several factors such as overall health and health of the mouth and gums.
Typically a patient that is very healthy and is missing only one tooth can be fully completed in 3 months. However for diabetics and even smokers the healing is slowed, therefore we wait a little longer for the body to heal the implants. We may wait 6 months for the implants to stabilize and integrate to the jaw bone.
Also if tooth extractions and bone grafting are needed then extra time is needed for healing and there would be an extra expense to the procedure. A common side effect is of the remaining teeth is shifting while waiting the healing process. Our doctors may design a retainer for use at night. Regular dental care is also important.
Are You a Candidate for Dental Implants?
To learn more about the pros and cons of dental implants, or to schedule a consultation to find out if you would be a candidate for implant dentistry, call Rockville Dental Arts in Rockville, MD. We can be reached at 301-424-2030, or you can contact us online.