Dental implants give us an amazing new approach to dealing with common tooth problems, such as decay, infection, or gum disease, all of which can lead to tooth loss. Instead of having to deal with a significantly compromised tooth, or tell you that you have to be without a tooth, we have the option of replacing your tooth with a fully functional and highly attractive prosthetic.
However, with this new option, many people are starting to become too eager to get rid of endangered teeth rather than trying to save them. Although there are some times when it’s best to get rid of your endangered teeth, there are many reasons why you shouldn’t set your heart on a dental implant until after you’ve talked to a dentist.
Your Natural Teeth Are Still Better
Dental implants are great, but there are a few small ways in which your natural teeth are better. Dental implants may be stronger than natural teeth, but natural teeth have a built-in cushion that means they don’t have to be as strong.
And your natural teeth are better at interacting with your other natural tissues, such as your bone and your gums. It’s easier to get your gums to grow up and around your natural tooth than to get them to grow around a dental implant.
You Might Be Preparing for Implants, Anyway
If your natural tooth is threatened by gum disease, that gum disease will have to be treated before your dental implant is placed. In the process of trying to preserve your natural tooth by fighting gum disease, we are also making the area healthy as it needs to be to support dental implants.
You Can Always Get Implants Later
If we try to save your natural teeth and it doesn’t work, we always have the option of trying dental implants next. But if you try dental implants and they don’t work, you can’t get your natural teeth back.
Saving Your Natural Tooth Can Be Cheaper
Whether we’re talking about a root canal or gum disease treatment, in most cases saving your natural tooth doesn’t cost as much as a dental implant procedure, but can still be affordable. It’s never worth it to get a cheaper procedure just because it’s cheaper, but since dental implants and a root canal have about the same success rate, there’s usually no reason to pick the more expensive option.
If you would like to talk to a Wilmington, NC implant dentist about whether your teeth should be saved or replaced, please call (910) 392-6060 to schedule a consultation with a cosmetic dentist at Kuzma Advanced Dentistry.
