Missing teeth, especially at a young age can be problematic for some, as it can cause a number of problems. A major problem people encounter from missing teeth is an inability to chew, the remaining teeth attempt to compensate for the missing teeth and this causes severe oral problems. This may at times cause crookedness or distortions in teeth shape that will add to the discomfort of the person. This can also at times lead to further loss of teeth. Food particles can be trapped in the gaps between teeth and this can affect the entire jaw and may even cause gum disease. The longer a person waits to replace lost teeth the more damage they are causing. The bone that supports the tooth may start to dissolve and replacing it may be a long and painful procedure.

To avoid further problems, one can go in for a dental implant that essentially acts as a replacement for the missing teeth. The implant can play a dual role, one of an anchor or a crown for a set of missing teeth. The number of dental implant options is abundant and the option one may want to use may depend on the individual and their dentist. Implants can be used by people of all ages and can be a great option for those who do not want to use dentures that can be removed. In fact if a person replaces their lost tooth at a young age with a dental implant, they won’t require dentures later on in life. This has been good news for people who have damaged a large portion of their teeth in an accident. The use of dental implants will improve oral hygiene and will allow the person to continue with their normal lives.

Implants generally are a screw like structure made of titanium that acts as a replacement for the root portion of the natural tooth. The implant is placed on the bone of the lower or upper jaw and fuses with the jaw, which can take a few days or a few weeks depending on the patient. Once the fusing is done, the dentist will screw an implant into the jaw of the patient to make it look like a natural tooth. There may be some discomfort for the patient when the implant is being screwed, but with the use of anesthesia and sedation, this pain may generally disappear. After the actual insertion, when the patient reaches home, they may feel some discomfort for some time but this can be alleviated with pain killers.

There are many benefits of going in for an implant as it improves personal appearance and increases self esteem. It also allows a person to chew and enjoy their food while at the same time protecting the rest of their natural teeth. Implants can be very expensive and the cost is dependant on the number of teeth being replaced and the number of implants that are needed to support the replaced tooth.