For many decades, dentures have served as the primary form of tooth replacement in our country. Several years ago, a shift began to occur, after the invention of dental implants. These tooth prosthetics allow total flexibility, replacing a single tooth or an entire mouth full of teeth that have been lost or need to be extracted. Total tooth replacement is possible, and remains cost-effective, even though implants are solitary prosthetics. Investigating the suitability of dental implants for your tooth replacement is beneficial, as this form of treatment boasts an extremely high (more than 95%) success rate.

Each person’s best path for tooth replacement consists of personalized care tailored to his or her needs. We may incorporate dental implants into your treatment in our Buffalo practice to bring you benefits such as:

• Dental implants lead to a degree of chewing function that most closely replicates natural teeth. Chewing function is extremely important due to the fact that it is what begins the entire digestive process. In order for your body to maximize the foods you are consuming, these foods must be properly broken down. A lesser degree of chewing can lead to gastrointestinal upset. When a tooth or teeth are missing and not replaced, it is common for chewing to become altered, where one side is favored over the other. The risk with this is undue stress on remaining teeth, as well as the jawbone, possibly leading to dysfunction and pain in the joints that operate the jaw.
• Replacing lost teeth with dental implants does not necessarily require full restoration with individual posts. Implants are often used in conjunction with a customized denture appliance. At Smile Center, Dr. Kent places a few dental implants, which fuse to healthy bone tissue over time. A denture appliance is then crafted with connectors that attached securely to implant posts. The implant-retained denture is a cost-effective, highly customized way to achieve full function and a beautiful aesthetic.
• Tooth replacement is not only about function, but also appearance. Teeth make our smiles beautiful, and support the structure of the cheeks and lips, even the chin. Dental implants, either on their own or for denture support, are effective at preserving bone structure by consistently stimulating the jawbone. This stimulation prevents bone from breaking down over time, become reabsorbed into the body.

Losing a tooth or teeth impacts your health and overall wellbeing. Working with Dr. Kent, your smile can be restored to a healthy, beautiful condition.

Contact Smile Center to learn more about dental implants.