Over the years, dental implants have earned the reputation of being the gold standard in tooth replacement. These durable, natural-looking prosthetics are simply the best way to restore your smile, providing nearly full biteforce so you can eat a complete nutritious diet. But while they are an amazing way to replace lost teeth, are they better than your real ones? Here’s why many people wonder if they should replace even their healthy teeth with dental implants, and why when it comes to your smile, real is best.
Can I Replace My Healthy Teeth with Dental Implants?
It’s natural to consider removing your healthy teeth to match your new dental implants, especially if your real smile has stains, chips, or excessive dental work. But the truth is, even though dental implants are the next best thing to real teeth, nothing is better than natural when it comes to your smile. This is for several reasons but one of the main ones is that when you remove a tooth your jawbone will begin to deteriorate. While dental implants can help prevent this, it’s better to not risk it at all unless absolutely necessary.
What if I want to Match My Smile?
One major reason patients ask to remove healthy teeth and replace them with dental implants is that they want their new implants to match a healthy, beautiful smile. The good news is that with the help of cosmetic dentistry, you can often improve the appearance of your existing teeth, so they look as healthy and beautiful as your dental implants. Treatments like professional whitening, veneers, or dental bonding can help change their color, and bonding and veneers can even change their shape or size.
Replacing Lost Teeth
If you do have any lost teeth due to damage, decay, or injury, dental implants can be an excellent solution. They not only look and feel like real teeth, but they also have the benefit of being permanent, so they won’t need to be replaced every five to ten years like dental bridges or dentures will. Furthermore, because they look so natural, they will easily blend in with your remaining healthy teeth, creating a complete smile.
Remember, while it’s not a good idea to extract healthy teeth for any reason, dental implants are an amazing option for teeth that must be removed for oral health reasons, or that have already been lost. To learn more about whether this treatment is right for you, schedule a consultation with your dentist today.
About Dr. McClain
Dr. Deidra Harrison-McClain graduated cum laude from Tennessee State with her undergraduate degree and earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery from Meharry Medical College in Nashville. She completed her dental residency through the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Dental Medicine, where she had training in anesthesia, family medicine, oral surgery, emergency medicine, operating room dentistry, and dental forensics. If you’re interested in learning more about dental implants, please schedule a consultation with Goodlettsville Smiles by visiting our website or calling us today at 615-859-0188.