The decision to get dental implants to replace missing teeth is often influenced at least in part by cosmetic concerns. So, it’s only natural to wonder if your new implants will look, well, natural. With the latest implant technology and the skills of an implant dentist in Houston experienced in placing them, you’ll never have to reveal that your smile isn’t the one you were born with. In fact, if your objective is a smile with a natural appearance, dental implants should be your first choice.

Dental implants can replace either a single tooth or multiple teeth, and in either case, the team that creates the implants will take care to ensure that the appliance fits in with the existing teeth in shade and shape. Additionally, because dental implants offer a stand-alone solution, there’s no need to compromise adjacent healthy teeth, which must be covered with crowns when a bridge is used to replace missing teeth. Bridges carry the risk of permanent damage to nearby teeth, although that certainly doesn’t occur in every case.

You can also use the same oral hygiene routines with your implants as you do with your natural teeth, which will also improve your appearance. In particular, dental implants offer better access to interproximal areas, or the spaces between the teeth, allowing for more thorough flossing.

Beyond the cosmetic benefits, dental implants approximate natural teeth in a number of other ways, as well. Implants tend to be more comfortable than alternatives, and they last longer, too.

Perhaps most importantly, implants prevent bone loss in the jaw. Because an implant is actually anchored to the bone with a titanium screw, it does the best job of simulating an actual tooth from a biological perspective. While bone might begin to erode in the area of missing teeth that are replaced by a bridge or dentures, the implant’s screw serves as a sort of root, encouraging the jaw bone to remain in place. The implant’s more extensive structure also tends to prevent other teeth from shifting to fill the gap left by the missing tooth.