This four-part article series explains, through looking at the differences between the various tooth replacement technologies available, why dental implants are the most cost effective option.

There is a general and widespread impression amongst American society that dental implants are prohibitively expensive and that only the upper economic echelons can afford them. If replacing one missing tooth will put a substantial dent in your bank account, then treating rampant tooth loss and edentulism(the state of being toothless) or near-edentulism is simply impossible, unless you land a five or six figure monthly paycheck. Well, this simply isn’t the case and in this four part article series, we shall be explaining why fixed oral rehabilitation with dental implants is actually far more cost effective in both the short and long term. Throughout the course of this series, we shall be emphasizing the importance of value in terms of quality of life in addition to the money low cost dental

implants procedures, such as the “All on 4,” save patients. First, however, let’s take a look at what dental implants are and why the various tooth replacement alternatives fail to surpass them. What are Dental Implants? Dental implants are fixed and non-removable devices that are used to replace missing teeth. They consist of a durable ceramic crown supported by an artificial tooth root, which is fabricated from medical grade titanium metal. This makes them exceptionally strong and able to support a natural bite force. It also makes dental implants immune to rust or corrosion, which is an important characteristic to have if it is to spend many decades in the perpetually moist and acidic environment of the mouth. Once a dental implant is placed, the surrounding bone tissue in the jaw actually bonds with the surface of the titanium root, essentially making the replacement tooth a part of your body. Dental implants restore full bite function, promote the health of the underlying jawbone, can last many decades without the need for restoration and additional expense and are virtually indistinguishable from any natural tooth.

In short, dental implants are the most sophisticated and comprehensive solution to missing teeth modern medical science has to offer patients. However, owing to the materials, resources and expertise that go into their fabrication and surgical placement, they are not inexpensive. But before you dismiss the expense required to replace a missing tooth or teeth with dental implants, consider the alternatives. Alternative Teeth Replacement Devices During the course of investigating your alternatives, you come across dental bridges, which can be used to replace single missing teeth. Bridges can seem attractive at first and why not? As long as you get that conspicuous gap filled and at a lesser cost, you can’t see how you’re short-changing yourself. In fact, it may seem to be the better deal. It’s not. Here’s why:

• Dental bridges require two perfectly healthy teeth on either side of the missing tooth to be completely ground down in order to support the replacement tooth.

• The bridge itself lasts about 10 years before it needs restoration or replacement.

• The supporting teeth are extremely susceptible to decay.

• The bridge only replaces the visible portion of the missing tooth, the crown. Because it

doesn’t replace the root, the underlying jawbone atrophies from disuse and wastes away, causing long-term stability problems for the neighboring teeth.

Then, for the replacement of a whole arch of missing teeth, there are removable dentures… but we’ll delve into that next week. Stay Tuned for Part 2 We’re far from done. In this article, we looked at what dental implants are as well as some of the alternative tooth replacement technologies that are available. In part 2 of this series, we’ll examine dentures and their shortcomings before tying everything together and comparing the costs and expenses of these various technologies. You will come to see that the all on 4

costs in Houston is in fact far more favorable.

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