Life with Dental Implants

If you are one of the 120 million Americans who are missing at least one tooth, you may be considering joining the more than 3 million people who have dental implants. After all, you’ve been told that this tooth replacement solution looks, functions, and feels like natural teeth. However, if you’re like many people, you may question exactly how true this really is.

At Shahbazyan Dental Studio, we would love to meet with you and show you exactly what implants can do for you. We offer single dental implants, All-on-4, and so much more to help you get your smile and your confidence back.

Prior to dental implants, the only tooth replacement option was a fixed bridge or removable dentures. Unfortunately, these options were challenging to maintain and for some, were extremely uncomfortable. Dental implants are an ideal solution for those who are missing teeth and have these fixtures- but what is it?

In order to understand how dental implants feel, you must first understand what all it involves. If you’re missing teeth, dental implants can be used to replace the tooth root. Many people use the term “implant” to refer to the whole thing, but the implant is actually the titanium rod/screw that is inserted into the jawbone. Then, an abutment is attached to that and the prosthetic tooth is attached to the abutment.

Dental implants provide patients with a way of keeping their oral health in check by leaving the natural teeth alone, while still offering a solid foundation for your jawbone. This foundation will support any dental prosthesis and firmly hold it in place. As mentioned, a dental implant is a titanium screw/rod that is surgically inserted into your jawbone. Titanium is used because it is biocompatible and will fuse with the jawbone, allowing it to become a solid foundation that the other pieces are attached to. Some of these include the crown- or prosthetic tooth, dentures, or bridges.

This makes dental implants one of the best long-term tooth replacement options- but it’s not always the best solution for everyone. Below are five facts you need to know about dental implants to help you make the decision.

1. Dental implants have a high success rate. Unfortunately, many people are afraid of the dentist, so they only visit when they have to. Others have no problem at all. These are the ones that have had dental implants without complications and side effects. That being said, it’s important to note that success rate has a lot to do with your overall health, the location of the implants, and the experience/expertise can affect the success rate.
2. Dental implants look/feel natural. The inventors of dental implants did everything they could to ensure that they look, feel, and function like natural teeth. The goal was to clone the missing tooth/teeth. The natural feel is due to the fact that it fuses with your jawbone. When the crown is created, special care will be taken to ensure that it blends well with your natural teeth. After all, you don’t want people asking if you’ve had dental work done.
3. Dental implants make eating enjoyable. If you’re missing teeth, you know how hard it can be to eat and you may have had to give up some of your favorite foods- but dental implants can change that. With other tooth replacement options, you may have to change the way you eat. Dentures tend to slide around, which makes eating a tedious process. On the other hand, dental implants are basically like natural teeth- so you can apply just as much force to them.
4. Dental implants replace extracted teeth. If you lose a tooth or have an extraction, it leaves behind a hole where the root used to be. Unfortunately, most of the other tooth replacement options only consider the crown. Dental implants are focused on the part that can’t be seen- the root. Since the implant is inserted into the jawbone, it stimulates bone growth, which creates a natural bond and helps you avoid loss of bone density in the jaw.
5. Dental implants encourage the protection of healthy teeth. In the past, one of the most popular tooth replacement options was dental bridges. This involved filing down the healthy teeth on either side of the missing tooth or teeth so that the bridge could be secured to them. However, now it’s possible to position the bridge on a dental implant, which means you don’t have to worry about damage to your other teeth.

Now that you know more about dental implants, it’s time to answer our initial question: Do they really feel natural?

When an implant is inserted into your jawbone to replace a missing tooth, you don’t feel anything at all on the implant. The feeling will be in the gums around the implant. Therefore, it’s not possible for a dental implant to feel exactly like your natural teeth. after all, the roots of your natural teeth have nerves, which allow you to feel sensations such as heat, cold, and pressure.

With dental implants, you don’t have the nerves, so you won’t feel these sensations- but beyond that, dental implants really do look, feel, and function like natural teeth.

Dental implants almost feel natural like your normal teeth; it only has less sensation.

At Shahbazyan Dental Studio, we offer single tooth dental implants, All-on-4, and several other cosmetic dental procedures. Within a few weeks, you shouldn’t really notice much difference between the implants and your natural teeth.

If you are in or near Fresno, CA, contact us today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Shahbazyan. We would love to learn more about your situation and show you how dental implants may help with your situation.

Dr. Shahbazyan is a highly skilled implant specialist. We accept cash, credit, dental financing, and other payment options. We also accept a variety of dental insurances and will work with them to find out more about your coverage. We look forward to booking your appointment.