Blog Post

Replacement teeth have come a long way since the alleged wooden dentures of George Washington. Today, if you need to fill in a gap in your smile, you have options.

You could choose dentures, but many report that they feel fiddly in the mouth and make speaking and eating more difficult. You could get a dental bridge, but that generally needs to be replaced every decade or so.

If you want a tooth that looks, feels, and functions just like a natural tooth, you can’t top a dental implant. That’s why Sandi E. Silva, DDS, offers these types of replacement teeth at our office in Tustin, California.

Here are five reasons a dental implant is considered the gold standard in replacement teeth — and why it might be right for you. 

#1: They feel like natural teeth

A dental implant functions like a natural tooth because it’s structurally similar. To root the tooth in your mouth, Dr. Silva implants a metal post in your jawbone. She then mounts the replacement tooth (called a crown) to that post. The result is a tooth that feels natural in your mouth. 

As a result, there’s no learning curve. You shouldn’t feel any difference as you talk, eat, or do anything else. 

#2: They look like natural teeth

In addition to feeling normal, dental implants look just like natural teeth. In fact, Dr. Silva creates the tooth to blend seamlessly into your smile, even precisely color-matching the crown. 

#3: Maintenance is easy

You don’t need to do anything special to take care of your dental implant. You simply need to continue to brush and floss daily to keep your mouth healthy.

#4: They support tooth alignment and jawbone health

When citing the benefits of dental implants, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notes a few key things that tie to one fact: Dental implants support your oral health. Without a tooth rooted in the current gap in your smile, your jawbone there can atrophy. The metal post that gets implanted to root your implant encourages healthy jawbone density through your life. 

At the same time, with your dental implant rooted firmly in place, your other teeth don’t get the opportunity to move out of alignment. This helps to keep your smile straight and your mouth healthy. 

#5: They can last a lifetime

While dentures and bridges need to get replaced periodically, dental implants are designed to last your lifetime. Once your jawbone has healed around the metal post, you should have a tooth that looks, feels, and functions like a natural tooth in perpetuity. 

Good oral hygiene helps your dental implant function its best through the years. 

With these five benefits on the table, it’s no surprise that many people choose a dental implant to fill in the gaps in their smile. If you want to learn more about this option, call our office to schedule an appointment today. Dr. Silva can assess your mouth and tell you if a dental implant is right for you.