Most dentists will tell you that having a dental implant put into place is the ideal treatment for missing tooth. Implants look and feel just like natural teeth, and they prevent the remaining teeth from shifting into the empty place left behind by a missing tooth. Still, many patients are skeptical of dental implants. There are rumors that a lot of patients' bodies reject the implants, and that implants are still too new of an idea to be proven "safe." A lot of these myths and rumors simply aren't true. Here's a look at the hard facts and figures behind dental implants. Look them over, and decide for yourself whether implants are a wise choice for you.

American dentists have been sharing knowledge about dental implants since 1951.

Dental implants aren't as new as you might think. In 1951, only a few dentists were placing them, but these dentists came to form the American Academy of Implant Dentistry in order to share their knowledge of the practice. The AAID continues to ensure that dentists who are placing implants in patients' mouths are doing so as safely as possible.

Dental implants have a success rate of 98%.

That means only 2 out of every 100 patients who have implants placed in their jaws do not end up keeping the implants. Keep in mind that those who have diabetes, immune-related disease or heart disease are at a higher risk of rejection when it comes to implants. If you are free of these conditions, the chance that your body won't adapt to the implants is incredibly small. Once you've healed from the surgery, implants will last the rest of your life.

You can't get a cavity in an implanted tooth.

If you choose to have a very damaged tooth drilled, filled and capped instead of simply having it removed and replaced with an implant, you'll probably eventually lose the tooth anyways, since decay can still occur in a capped tooth. Implanted teeth, however, will not develop cavities -- ever.

There are dentists who specialize in placing implants.

Periodontists are dentists who specialize in the treatment of conditions related to a patient's gums and jaw bone structure. Many of them specialize in placing implants in patients' mouths and have performed thousands of successful implant surgeries. They have seen every scenario and jaw bone structure out there,  and they can carefully design an implant approach that's almost 100% sure to work for you.

The prospect of having dental implants inserted into your jaw may seem scary, but there's really no reason to worry. Implant surgeries have a long history and a very high success rate. Seek treatment from a skilled periodontist or dentist, and you can count on having your implants for the rest of your life.

Share