Are Dental Implants Right for You?
Are Dental Implants Right for You?
Dr. Rajan Sharma, DDS
As we age, we can suffer from a myriad of dental problems that can lead to a loss of teeth. If you are missing teeth you might feel like your only option using dentures, but there is another option: Dental Implants.
In endodontics, my specialization, the focus is on saving teeth. While this seems like a no-brainer option, we have many factors working against us. Poor diet, bad habits, and certain illnesses can effect whether or not the tooth is salvageable Unfortunately, these factors, combined with people’s hesitation to visit their dentist, can lead to the ultimate loss of the tooth. If you are concerned about your teeth, the best place to start is at your dentist’s office.
According to the CDC, nearly 1 in 5 of adults aged 65 and over have lost all of their teeth. Dentures are the most common solution to missing teeth, but they are not the best solution. While partial or full dentures seem like the cheapest option initially, they are merely a quick fix. Dentures can affect speech and a person’s ability to chew and they can loosen and rub, causing sores. Dentures Can Cause Bone Loss if not fitted properly as well. Partial dentures threaten other healthy teeth as well; they put pressure on the surrounding healthy teeth and can cause them to loosen. This can instigate a litany of further dental problems and subsequent operations which quickly offsets the initial cost efficiency of the dentures.
For every missing tooth, you lose 10% of your ability to chew. This can cause poor nutrition as well as frustration. As teeth continue to decay and oral health worsens, people are at risk for further infections and disease. These infections and diseases can lead to problems elsewhere in the body. Some progressions can include: cardiovascular disease, dementia, respiratory infections, and diabetic complications. People who are missing teeth or are using dentures also report self-esteem and confidence issues, illustrating that oral health effects us physically as well as mentally.
If preventative care is not an option and you’re faced with dentures or simply going without teeth, there is another option: dental implants. Implants are not a cosmetic fix like crowns, bridges, and dentures. They act as your real teeth. By creating an anchor into the jaw, implants imitate your tooth’s natural root and allows your bone to attach to the the implants. Because implants integrate with your bone, your chance of bone loss and gum disease is lessened. The fusion between implant and bone maintains your jawbone’s natural structure, meaning you can eat, speak and smile like normal.
After seeing the frustration and pain that my patients experienced, I chose to open my first dental implant clinic, EON Clinics. I have seen thousands of patients who come in uncomfortable and leave pain-free and smiling. With tooth loss or decay, things as simple as smiling or eating can be difficult and dentures can hurt more than help. Before settling with dentures, do your research to see if dental implants are the right choice for you.
Author Bio
Dr. Rajan Sharma has been in the dental industry for over 20 years working as an endodontist. He launched EON Clinics nine years ago and it has grown to become the leading dental implant center in Chicago. EON Clinics has six locations spanning from Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. Dr. Sharma believes in providing excellent dental care and supports many causes for those who are in need of implants and other root canal procedures.
