Dental Implants: Luxury Or Necessity?

Dr. Rushad Nariman is an acclaimed Prosthodontist and Implantologist, practicing as a Consultant at Godrej Memorial Hospital (Vikhroli), Jain Hospital (Malad) and over 20 dental clinics across Mumbai, in addition to running his own successful private practice, for over five years now. A member of the reputed Indian Society of Oral Implantologists (ISOI) and Zoroastrian Dental Organization (ZDO), Dr. Rushad specialized in Oral Implantology at the Goethe University, in Frankfurt. He has presented posters and papers in national and international conferences and his work has been published in multiple global dental journals. To connect with him, E-mail: rushad29@gmail.com

What better way to start the New Year 2020 than with a dazzling smile? However, many of us feel inhibited while smiling cheek-to-cheek, because of our discolored or not-perfectly-structured teeth. With the gaining popularity of and access to Dental Implants, you can smile away all such concerns!

Just a few years ago, the term ‘Dental Implants’ was Greek to the layman’s understanding, but today, due to the possibilities presented by social media and health awareness gaining priority among individuals, Dental Implants is a procedure that is not uncommon anymore.

With changing lifestyles and advanced medical facilities, one’s life expectancy has increased, thus treatments like dental implants can become a necessity if you have lost your tooth/teeth at an early age.

Dental implants not only enhance your looks, but also help in functioning exactly like your natural teeth. One can remember seeing their grandparents or elderly relatives, at some point, using dentures which are loose and tend to fall out accidentally during eating or talking! Dental implants provide a fixed and permanent solution!

So, what exactly are Dental Implants?

Simply put, Dental implants are replacements for missing teeth. When teeth are extracted due to decay or infection, Dental Implants are placed in the jaw. These Implants form the foundation or support for the missing tooth, and provide the same function as that of the original extracted tooth.

Advantages of Dental Implants:

  1. Greater comfort for the patient while chewing and talking.
  2. As they simulate natural teeth, they look better aesthetically.
  3. Some people use bridges instead of Dental Implants, but in fixed bridges we have to shape the adjacent healthy teeth to support the missing teeth. In Dental Implants, we take the support from the bone to replace the missing tooth, without altering or making changes in the adjacent teeth, thereby unaltering or not compromising on the integrity and strength of the same.

 Disadvantages of Dental Implants:

The only time a disadvantage has cropped up is when it has not been placed skillfully. As such, there are no disadvantages of Dental Implants, when placed correctly.

 Who is eligible for Dental Implants?

Jaw development of an individual takes place completely by the age of 18 years. Any individual above this age, who has a missing tooth, can opt for Dental Implants. However, Dental Implants should be avoided as an option by: Heavy Smokers, people with high Diabetes, people on Bisphosphonate medication, as also people undergoing Radiation Therapy.

Are Dental Implants Costly?

The origin of dental implants can be German, Swiss, Korean, Isreali, USA or even locally manufactured, and hence, accordingly the cost may vary. In comparison to other countries across the globe, placement of Dental Implants is the most economical in India.

Are Dental implants permanent in nature?

The time frame for how long the Dental Implants will last depends from person to person, as also the stage in which the procedure has been done. If the oral hygiene and maintenance is good and if the replacement has been done at the right time (before too much decay has set in), the implants will last for a very long time, even permanently! The more the delay in the treatment, the greater is the cost and time for actual replacement of the missing teeth. So, the dental treatment is not costly, but negligence definitely is!

Do’s And Don’ts to Observe after Placing Dental Implants:

  1. Remember, even after buying a new car or a new phone, it needs to be serviced, updated and maintained. Similarly, Dental Implants need caretaking by maintaining good oral hygiene.
  2. A six-monthly follow-up visit to your dentist post implant placement is necessary.
  3. Avoid eating sticky foods like chewing gum and caramel chocolates.
  4. Avoid opening of bottles with teeth or biting on something really hard.

 For greater specifics on Dental Implants, or to make decisions regarding the same, ensure to visit your Dentist.

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