At Dr. Stypula’s office, we realize that a tooth extraction is hardly an event to look forward to. The great news for today’s dental patients, however, is that there are now more options than ever for natural looking teeth following an extraction. While traditional methods like dentures and bridges have their advantages, more and more modern patients are seeking dental implants in Pittsburgh, PA following an extraction.
Why Teeth Extractions Happen
Teeth extractions are extremely common and happen for many reasons. In some cases, it may be necessary to remove a tooth following significant disease or decay. In other cases, an injury to the face could leave you with a broken tooth that needs to be extracted. In other cases still, teeth must be removed for orthodontic purposes. Many patients worry that the extraction process will be painful, but proper anesthesia ensures you won’t feel anything more than minimal discomfort.
Treating Extractions With Dental Implants
In the old days, tooth extractions were usually followed up with either partial dentures or fixed bridges. Nowadays, it’s much more common to choose dental implants. Unlike dentures and bridges, implants are actually inserted into the jawbone and topped with a crown that is almost indistinguishable from a real tooth. Here are some of the best benefits of dental implants:
- Long-Term Results: Unlike dentures and bridges, dental implants are inserted into the jawbone where it fuses with your existing bone for a lifetime of use.
- Same Day Procedure: Dental implants can often be inserted the same day as an extraction.
- Real-Looking Teeth: Today’s dental implants are made of strong titanium or ceramics that look identical to your existing teeth.
- A Permanent Fit: Unlike dentures, which can slide around and even cause facial structural change and bone loss, implants stay in place.
- No Additional Damage: Unlike permanent bridges, dental implants do not require grinding down your neighboring teeth and will not leave other teeth vulnerable to decay.