Missing teeth can be a cause of concern for various reasons. It can cause the remaining teeth to grow loose, the jaw structure to change, and it can even bring down a person’s confidence. Dental implants are an effective solution to the problem of having missing teeth. They hold great benefit over options like dentures and bridges. This article has a compiled list of the pros and cons of getting dental implants.

Pros:

Cost-effective in the long run
Implants can seem to be a costly affair when visiting a dentist or their website. However, when the long-term benefits are considered, dental implants are a cost-effective solution to fix missing teeth. After the initial spending, there is no need for them to be removed, replaced, or even ensuring special care for a very long time.

Easy post-care
Dental implants look and feel like real teeth. There is no special care or products required for their upkeep, and they can be brushed and washed just like the rest of the teeth. Additionally, dental implants do not impact the neighboring teeth and don’t need to be taken out like dentures. Since they do not take up space on the neighboring teeth, it is easier to clean difficult-to-reach areas, decreasing the risk of infections.

Permanent fix
While dentures are less expensive and a faster treatment to fix the problem of missing teeth, they are not the same as dental implants. Where dentures need to be taken out and cared for separately, implants stay rooted in their place and do not call for extra care or attention. With dentures, there is also a risk of them growing loose and slipping out of their designated place, but that is not the case with implants. Titanium implants offer longevity of a lifetime.

Cons:

Expensive
One of the most common problems with dental treatments is that they are seldom covered by insurance. Dental implants are one of the many costly dental procedures that insurances do not seem to cover. In fact, they are considerably more expensive than other treatment options of filling in for missing teeth.

May fail
While most patients seem to face no issues with dental implants, these aren’t always successful. Factors that contribute to the failure of dental implants procedures include smoking, poor oral hygiene, diabetes, arthritis, insufficient bone or poor bone density, and gum infections. In case of failure, the dental implants need to be removed. The dentist can try and figure out the risk of failure during initial consultations. In case of failed implants, the patients can discuss the possibility of retrying with their dentist.

Time-consuming process
The fusion of the jaw bone and the implant alone can take months. Add in the amount of time required for the bone to heal before the new teeth are fixed. Depending on the severity of extraction of the original tooth, the amount of bone loss, and a few other factors, the treatment procedure can take anywhere upwards of six months. If the patient is not willing to wait that long, avoiding implants is a better choice.

Involves surgery
Most dental procedures that deal with missing teeth are based on the gums; however, dental implants involve the jaw bone. This is to make the implant a permanent solution and one that stays in place. Surgery is required to make this happen. Although technological advancements mean that this surgery is considered a minor one, patients still need to be medically fit for it. In case the patients do not meet the criteria for dental implants, they might have to seek alternative treatment options for their problem.