An investment is something that pays off over time. When you invest in your home, you are improving the look, safety, and features of your home, which will both save you money in the short run and improve your home’s value. When it comes to dentistry, dental implants are a great investment for three reasons: saving you money, helping you stay healthy, and improving your look.

Investment #1: Saving You Money

  • Long-lasting, so no repeat work: Dental implants are designed to last a very long time. While nothing is permanent (including your natural teeth), once you have a dental implant placed, you’ll normally won’t have to worry about it. Many other treatments will fail sooner or later, such as dentures, and you will need to pay again for the same treatment a second time. By using dental implants, you can save money by not having to pay twice.
  • Won’t require more treatments down the road: A common tooth replacement treatment is a dental bridge, which uses a pair of dental crowns to hold a replacement tooth in the space. While this treatment works for some patients, placing the crowns requires taking off some of the enamel, which can make those teeth weaker. And traditional dentures rest on your gums. Both of these can require more dental treatments down the road, again raising the long-term costs.
  • No adhesives or special cleaners to buy: Traditional removable dentures need a special adhesive to stay in place as well as special cleaners to keep them clean and hygienic. But dental implants are cleaned just like any other tooth: with regular brushing and flossing. That means you don’t have to spend anything extra.

Investment #2: Helping You Stay Healthy

  • Prevent bone loss: Your jawbone expects to have roots from your teeth, so when those are absent, the bone tissue can start to deteriorate. Removable dentures and bridges do nothing to help with this, but because dental implants use an artificial root to hold the replacement tooth in place, they also help prevent bone loss. This keeps your jawbone healthy and strong.
  • Eat healthy foods again: When you are missing teeth, you lose some of your ability to chew. That means certain foods like nuts, apples, or bagels can be difficult to eat. Removable dentures can help, but because they can slide around or fall out, you can still have problems eating the foods you love. Dental implants are incredibly secure, allowing you to eat normally again.
  • Protect against tooth decay and gum disease: An empty space in your smile does more than just interfere with your eating habits. Food particles can collect in that space, and harmful bacteria love to eat those particles. That means an empty space left behind by a missing tooth increases your risk of gum disease. It also makes it more likely that neighboring teeth will have problems with tooth decay.

Investment #3: Improving Your Look

  • Get your smile back: No one expects to look at your smile and see a big, dark gap. When people see that you’re missing a tooth, they start to cast judgments about you. It’s certainly not fair, but that’s what happens. By getting that space filled with a dental implant, you are restoring your smile to the way it should look. When people see your healthy, full smile, the only thing they’ll think is good thoughts. Well, if they’re missing teeth as well, they might be a bit jealous too.
  • Retain the natural shape of your mouth: Even when you’re not smiling, your teeth affect the way you look. Your lips and mouth are where they’re at because of the teeth underneath. That’s why you can instantly tell when someone with full dentures has not put them in yet. The lips and chin just look odd. Even one tooth can subtly change the way your closed mouth looks, but dental implants can fix that immediately.
  • Become more confident: You know that feeling when you’re wearing a great new outfit or suit? That confidence you feel when you know you’re looking good? That’s what you can feel with dental implants. Because you know people will talk about you behind your back when you’re missing teeth, you lose self-confidence. But when you have that space filled with a dental implant, that means you can regain your confidence and self-esteem.

Missing one or more teeth has many costs, such as loss of confidence and paying for future dental treatments. Dental implants are an investment in yourself. They can save you money, improve your health, and help you look great. If you are ready to schedule your next appointment for dental implants, call us today at 248-329-3552.