What our Patients can Gain from Our Waltham Dental Implants

There doesn't seem like to be much to gain from tooth loss when you look only at the surface of this problem. Of course, we would love it if all of our patients could enjoy their natural teeth for their entire lifetime. However, statistics show that, although we have made great strides in achieving this goal, a good number of adults will, at some point, need one or more teeth replaced. Should tooth loss occur, our priority is to help you gain all that you can from the latest in restorative care. When you visit our Waltham office, you can discover just how much you can gain with dental implants.

The implant difference

Dental implants are different than any other form of tooth replacement we have seen to date. An implant is a post, usually made from titanium. This post is inserted into the jawbone, where the root once sat. Naturally, the bone in the jaw grows around the implant post, reaching a level of stabilization that rivals Mother Nature.

The dental implant process leads to a number of benefits, such as:

• Functional chewing. It used to be said that nothing feels like natural teeth. This was true because artificial structures only replaced teeth; they did not address the issue of the root. Patients who replace the missing root, as well as teeth often say that their new smile feels just like their old one. Sometimes, a patient will even say that the new smile feels better!

• Versatility. Historically, a single tooth would be replaced with a bridge. Toothlessness meant having to wear full dentures. Today, it is possible to replace any number of teeth to full stability by using the appropriate number of implant posts. A full denture can often be supported with as little as 4 implants.

• Quality of life. What value does dental care have if it cannot restore a good quality of life? Dentures may be able to give you back the appearance of teeth, but if that appliance rubs on your gums and creates sores, you may not want to eat much. If your denture doesn't fit well, you may find that you feel self-conscious when you dine with others, or when you speak. Stable, natural-looking teeth really are a necessity for quality of life. You can have this with dental implants.

• Facial support. Tooth replacement is important to the smile, and to the structure of the face. It is not only the teeth themselves that "hold the face up." Roots keep the jawbone in good condition, encouraging continual regeneration of this vital structure. Without roots, there is bone loss, and where there is bone loss, there is facial collapse.

Contact our Waltham office at (781) 894-4114.