It is said that losing a rotten member is gain but there is no gain in losing teeth as it affects our facial features. Well, like it or not losing a tooth due to accidents or gum disease, decay or a poor root canal is quite common but the biggest culprit is aging. Almost one out of every four aged man or woman loses all their natural teeth by the age of 74.

There was a time when dentures and fixed bridgework were used to fill in the empty space but dental implants have gained massive popularity recently due to its natural appearance. Dentals might be an advantageous option considering its aesthetic results but the concept of tooth or teeth replacement is something more than cosmetics.

Why dental implant is important

When you lose a tooth, it affects your alveolar bone in the jaw that provides support to the tooth and it often starts to fall apart. This ultimately changes the facial structure including the jawline, its joints and muscles especially if multiple teeth are involved. Not only that sometimes the remaining teeth also get adversely affected causing shifting and issues with bite after a certain period of time. As a result, chewing food becomes difficult. That is why it is important for people to replace missing teeth as soon as possible.

Just like everything else, dental implants also come with their own advantages and disadvantages. Let’s have a look at them.

Advantages of dental implants

1. Dental implants closely replicate the functionalities of your natural teeth. They are made of titanium and other materials that provide support to the replaced tooth. The entire procedure of dental implant passes through multiple steps. At its first step, a surgeon attaches the implant into the jawbone where the new tooth will be positioned. After three to six months of this operation when the screw gets fully fused with the bone, a dentist fixes the replacement tooth to a small metal post protruding from the implant
2. Dental implants not only work like natural teeth, but they also look like them as well. Patients do not need to face any kind of clicking noises, difficulties in chewing or speaking after the implant. It is mainly intended to bring back the old smile on your face like before when you did not have any restrictions on your eating habits.
3. The best part about this particular dental operation is that the replaced teeth do not need the support of the neighboring teeth which safeguard the natural teeth from potential damage.
4. This particular operation does not cause any bone loss as it replaces the tooth at its roots.

Disadvantages of dental implants

1. A dental implant is a time-consuming process. as mentioned above you need to wait for up to six months for the implant to fuse with your jawbone
2. Though it is a safe method just like any other surgery, complications like light bleeding, sinus, nasal cavity or infection may occur.
3. If during the implant your jawbone gets weakened, the surgeon may have to attach bone onto the weakened portion.
4. Dental implants can be expensive but they are not covered by any insurance

Despite all these disadvantages, dental implants are still considered to be one of the safest options as the rate of success is more than 90%. To know more about dental implant surgery you can contact an experienced oral pathology specialist who can guide you in this.