Dental Implants Don't Wait To Replace Your Missing Teeth!

By Dr. Jay McCarl, Dr. Clayton McCarl, and Dr. David McCarl

Dental implants are today's standard of care for replacing missing teeth and securing removable dentures. In the past few years, improvements in dental implant technology have made implants more reliable, more comfortable and more affordable.

There are circumstances for which a dental implant has replaced root canal therapy as the preferred dental treatment. When the root of a tooth is too short or too badly damaged to support restoration with a dental crown, it may be best to extract the tooth and place a dental implant. The implant will provide greater support for the restored tooth and improved long term success.

Dental implants are placed in the jaw where they fuse to the bone. They are effective for restoration of a single missing tooth or multiple missing teeth. In the past, dentists relied on procedures that were often temporary measures to repair badly damaged teeth. Now, in many cases, implants restored with crowns will last longer and cost less than ongoing repair efforts.

When you lose a tooth, your jawbone gradually loses strength and firmness. This leads to bone loss and can even cause changes in facial features. The loss of just one tooth can cause uneven chewing and an unstable bite. The remaining teeth shift and proper cleaning becomes more difficult. A misaligned bite can also contribute to jaw joint dysfunction and headaches. Unlike a denture or bridge, a dental implant can prevent bone loss at the site of the missing tooth.

Many patients tell us that having a dental implant placed is more comfortable than they expected. Unlike teeth, implants do not experience temperature sensitivity or decay.

Many patients are pleasantly surprised that the cost of dental implants is much lower than they expected. If you are missing teeth, visit a properly trained dentist to learn how dental implants can improve the health of your smile.

One dental patient Augustine wanted to restore her smile with permanent crowns and bridges and eliminate her removable partial plate. Dental implants were placed to join her remaining natural teeth to anchor permanent restorations. Now she smiles with confidence. No metal clasps that show, nothing across the roof of her mouth and nothing removable that restricts food choices. Augustine has a smile that lights up the room.