Losing a tooth can not only affect chewing and aesthetics but also can create problems for the existing teeth. It is imperative to replace missing teeth to maintain overall oral and general well-being.
Implantology has made great strides in the last couple of decades and is a major component of modern dental practice.The raging debate between implants and bridge work for missing teeth is long sorted and done with, in favour of implants.
Dental implants are an excellent option to replace a missing natural tooth and its root without affecting the neighbour teeth, unlike a bridge. Studies and data have time and again proved high success rate of dental implants over the conventional treatment options like bridges and flipper dentures.
Amongst the many benefits of implants the one that needs to be highlighted is that it is a NATURE- like replacement, wherein the patient can eat, speak smile etc as he/she would with the natural teeth before. The patient does not have to worry about ill fitting dentures and bridges that are difficult to maintain on a daily basis. Dental implants also protect healthy bone by preventing potential bone loss and deterioration in the jaws.
Lastly, implants comprehensively fulfill the following patient expectations-
1. Teeth that are aesthetically pleasing
2. Satisfactory function - mastication and phonetics
3. Stable replacement
4. Retentive replacement
5. Fixed replacement