ARE DENTAL IMPLANTS PERMANENT?—WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
“Every tooth in a man’s head is more valuable than a diamond.”
—Miguel de Cervantes, 16th Century Spanish writer
WHAT ARE “ALL-ON-4” DENTAL IMPLANTS?
Tooth loss is among the most severe symptoms of poor oral health. Missing teeth make it difficult to chew food properly, limiting dietary choices which can compromise nutritional intake. Gaps in the teeth can cause speech difficulties like slurring or the inability to pronounce certain sounds. The loss of each tooth often induces shifting and misalignment of surrounding teeth, while the underlying jawbone loses structural density in the absence of tooth roots. In addition to compromising oral health, tooth loss creates unsightly gaps that keep people from smiling and takes a toll on their self-confidence.
WHAT IS A DENTAL BRIDGE, AND HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM IMPLANTS AND DENTURES?
Modern dentistry offers anyone who experiences tooth loss several options for replacing missing teeth and restoring one’s ability to smile confidently. Most people are familiar with dentures, removable false teeth that fit over the gums and have been used for centuries to replace full or partial teeth loss in an arch. Due to significant advancements in implant technologies, dental implants fused into the jawbone have emerged this century as an optimal tooth replacement solution. And, as with dentures, dental bridges have been used to replace missing teeth for centuries. However, unless you’ve been confronted with the need to replace missing teeth, you may not know exactly what a dental bridge is and how it differs from dentures and implants.