When pondering which tooth replacement method to choose, patients often give significant consideration to the costs involved. Those who fail to consider the long-term costs may ultimately choose a more expensive option, though.
For example, dental implants have a higher initial price tag than other tooth replacement alternatives. However, the gap in costs narrows when you weigh the likelihood that those other devices will have to be replaced themselves and the possible negative outcomes for the remaining teeth.
Dental implants offer the most stable, reliable and durable tooth replacement method available in modern dentistry.
Dental implants offer the most stable, reliable and durable tooth replacement method available in modern dentistry.
Indeed, when a periodontist places your implants, those devices should last for decades if you take care of them as recommended.
This stability is due to certain characteristics of the implant. Dental implants are made of titanium, which fuses with the bone. This process allows the implant to become a permanent structure in the mouth.
The structural qualities of dental implants can help patients save money on numerous dental treatments over time. First, the implants can stand alone, which means that no supporting structures need to be placed on adjacent teeth. In comparison, fixed permanent bridges require crowns on neighboring teeth, sacrificing healthy enamel.
Dental implants also hold the jawbone in place, preventing erosion that can put other teeth at risk as it progresses. That erosion process could mean that other teeth will eventually need to be replaced – with at least a portion of that cost coming out of the patient’s pocket. Additionally, ongoing jawbone resorption can ultimately cause a bridge’s failure, too.
Additionally, other tooth replacement options don’t withstand chewing forces as well as dental implants do. With alternatives like bridges, those forces can be distributed unevenly among the other teeth, a phenomenon that also has the potential to cause damage and require more dental work.
Dental implants have other benefits beyond their structural and functional advantages. Dental implants also look more lifelike, which is quite valuable to many patients.
Patients who have been considering dental implants shouldn’t write them off merely because of the upfront costs. Carefully compare the costs of the devices over your lifetime as you decide which treatment to pursue. Contact the office of Dr. Beth Tomlin and learn if dental implants are the right solution for you. Call us at 214-949-1836 to schedule an appointment.