Friday, January 15, 2016

Seeking the Right Restorations

When it comes to determining the best solution for restoring your smile post-trauma, decay, or extraction, patients often find themselves considering a broad spectrum of factors such as cost, recovery, and long-term function. While it may be tempting to select treatment based on which is least expensive, it is important to consider the long-term health implications that less comprehensive treatments may have on a patient’s overall oral health and function. With this in mind, patients should consider the following when picking their restorative treatments:

Function
While some restorations may provide adequate function, patients should be looking for a restorative treatment that closely mimics their natural teeth. For example, dental implants and implant-supported restorations are designed to function precisely like natural teeth, providing individuals with a comfortable prosthetic tooth that is highly resilient and able to withstand routine wear and tear. With dental implants, patients are able to once again enjoy long term oral function.

Aesthetics
While minimal restorations are often able to enhance the natural beauty of the smile, extensive damage can often require less-aesthetically driven restorations. As a result, patients with full or partial dentures may find themselves unsatisfied with the bulky look and feel of their prosthetic. In contrast, dental implant restorations are uniquely matched to the natural teeth, providing patients with a seamless, natural looking smile.

Health
To provide the most functional benefit to patients, conventional restorations such as bridges, dentures, and partials are supported by surrounding oral structures such as neighboring teeth and gums. This can compromise the long-term health and function of these oral components, potentially leading to more extensive dental issues in the future.

In comparison, dental implants are surgically embedded into the jaw bone, eliminating the need to alter the neighboring teeth. The surgical placement of implants also has the added benefit of incorporating the jaw bone into treatment. Not only does this provide a sturdy foundation for the future restoration, but it also encourages improve bone health, thereby preventing additional bone deterioration and tooth loss.

Cost
Initially, conventional restorations may seem to be less expensive. However, the long term maintenance and replacement costs can quickly add up, making these treatment options consistently more expensive. While dental implants may require greater initial investment, the health and functional benefits of this treatment often provide patients with a greater return on their oral health investment.


At Mark T. Ngo, DDS, our Puyallup dental team is committed to providing patients with the best solution for their oral health needs. For patients considering long term restorative solutions, Dr. Ngo works with leading local oral surgeons to place and restore dental implants. For more information, contact our Puyallup dentist today. 

No comments:

Post a Comment