5 Popular Benefits of Dental Implants

When you get a tooth knocked out or extracted, you probably want to fill in the hole in your smile. Fortunately, you have plenty of options for doing so. You can get a partial denture, or you can choose a replacement tooth that attaches to your surrounding teeth, called a dental bridge. 

Both of those options come with some drawbacks, though. If you want a replacement tooth that will look, feel, and function just like a natural tooth, your best option is a dental implant. That’s why Thomas D. Sokoly, DDS, and our team offer implants to our patients here at Sokoly Dental in Washington, DC.

Here are five reasons you might want to choose this kind of replacement tooth:

1. It looks natural

The benefit of a natural-looking replacement doesn’t set an implant apart from dentures or bridges, but we still want to highlight it because it’s so important. We color-match your replacement tooth to your surrounding teeth so it blends seamlessly into your smile. No one should know that you have a replacement tooth by looking at you. 

2. It feels natural

A dental implant involves a series of components that work together to give you a tooth that functions just like a natural one.

When you choose a dental implant, the process starts with Dr. Sokoly implanting a metal post into your jawbone. Once that heals, we can mount your replacement tooth on it. Your tooth becomes rooted in your mouth just like your other teeth. As a result, it should feel completely natural. 

3. There’s no learning curve

Because a dental implant functions like the rest of your teeth, there’s no adjustment period. Other replacement teeth might require you to relearn how to talk or eat. With an implant, though, once we attach the crown to the post, you can hit the ground running. 

4. It doesn’t require special oral hygiene tools

Both dentures and bridges add steps to your oral hygiene routine. With a bridge, for example, you need a specialized brush to clean your gums underneath the bridge. 

With a dental implant, you don’t need to do anything special. Continuing to brush, floss, and get regular teeth cleanings helps keep the implant in top shape. 

5. The replacement tooth should last your lifetime

With a dental bridge, you’re probably looking at replacing the bridge every 15 years or so. With dentures, you usually need new ones even sooner than that.

A dental implant, on the other hand, is designed to last your lifetime. With proper oral hygiene and regular trips to see Dr. Sokoly, you shouldn’t have to worry about replacing this new tooth. 

In short, a dental implant gives you a long-lasting, natural-feeling, and natural-looking way to fill the gap in your smile. If you want to see if this kind of replacement tooth might be right for you, talk with Dr. Sokoly. Call our Washington, DC, office or book an appointment online today.