31% of Americans don’t brush their teeth twice a day as they should.

That’s quite a scary number, especially when we understand how important it is to care for our teeth.

That said, it’s no surprise, therefore, that more people require the assistance of a trained specialist. If you don’t care for your teeth, you’ll need the help of some who will.

Here, we’ll give you the difference between dental implants vs root canal procedure. That way, you’ll know which one is right for you.

Dental Implants vs Root Canal Procedure: What’s the Difference?

Understanding what procedure you’ll need will be important. That way, you’ll be able to receive the assistance that’s required to make your teeth look great again.

Different procedures will be required, depending on the problem you face. Factors that come into play include the type of damage to your teeth, the severity of the damage, and the area that it’s done to.

Let’s look at the difference between two dental treatments: dental implants and root canal procedure.

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are a helpful procedure when dealing with missing teeth. They fit perfectly into your jawbone, beneath the gums, where artificial teeth get placed. This allows your teeth to look and feel life-like and work like normal teeth.

There are several occasions when dental implants can be right for you:

• If your teeth have suffered decay, but the damage done is past that which a filling can fix
• You’ve experienced tooth loss due to having a cleft or split lip
• You’re suffering fractures to your teeth
• You have dentures that don’t fit right or are loose

Dental implants can be a great treatment option when the damage done to your teeth is severe and can’t be treated with a root canal.

What Is a Root Canal?

Root canal treatment can be beneficial when the soft part of the teeth, known as the pulp, becomes injured or inflamed. The dentist works to remove the pulp to relieve the pain, allowing the structure of the tooth to remain in place.

Damage to the pulp can occur for several different reasons:

• When decay gets caused as a result of an improperly treated cavity
• If more than one procedure has been done to the same tooth
• Your tooth has become injured due to a hit or a knock
• You’ve experienced a chip or cracked tooth

A damaged pulp usually results in swelling of the teeth and gums, in addition to the pain.

The Benefits of Dental Implants

When dental implants are necessary, you’ll need a specialist at hand to help you. At Fores Park Central, our team of dentists is specialized in training to provide the treatment you need.

Here are the benefits that come from dental implant surgery:

Better Comfort

While there are other dental options, such as dentures, for missing teeth, implants provide more comfort. They also look and feel like real teeth. 

Dentures can also impact speech. Implants, however, will keep your speech intact.

More Convenience

Dentures can pop out when you least expect it. Dental implants work much better and will stay nicely in place within your mouth. They only require less cleaning and are more easily maintained.

The removal of dentures can also cause some to feel embarrassed. When it comes to dental implants, you can avoid this worry as you don’t need to remove them.

Crowns and bridges can start to wear or become damaged with time. Implants don’t appear to wear the same and therefore have a longer-lasting effect.

Strength and Durability

When you take care of your implants and continue to brush regularly, you can expect them to last long. 

Remember to attend your check-ups to ensure your implants are staying strong and durable over time.

Improved Facial Structure

Your cheeks can lose their structure along with damage and loss of your teeth. Losing teeth can also cause your skin to sag, making you look older.

When you have implants put in place, your face looks restored to its natural youth. The implants will mold better into your mouth as time moves by. This can lead to better protection of your teeth and less need for treatment in the future.

By losing teeth, the gaps left can cause your other teeth to move and shift. Dental implants can stop this from happening.

Clean and Healthy Teeth

Other procedures involve the need to reduce other teeth, such as bridges. But with dental implants, that’s not required. 

Since implants keep your teeth in place, an improvement in support allows them to stay healthy for longer. They also enable more of a gap for brushing your teeth, which also allows you to take care of them better.

Who Are Dental Implants For?

If you require the treatment and are healthy, dental implants can be right for you. 

To be a suitable candidate, your gums should be healthy and your face suitable to support the implant. Completing regular check-ins ensures your oral hygiene will maintain a good standard.

There are occasions, however, when you might not be suitable to undergo the treatment. You might not be suitable if you:

• Are a heavy smoker,
• Have a chronic health condition, such as heart disease or diabetes
• Have undergone radiation therapy

Under such circumstances, you’ll require an assessment. This will ensure that the procedure will be safe for you.

Your Team of Expert Dentists in St Louis, MO

Are you in need of an expert dentist and are in St Louis, MO? Then look no further. Our professional team is trained to take care of all your dental needs.

Here, we’ve talked about the difference between dental implants vs root canal procedure. Whether you require either of these treatments or any other procedure, we’re here for you!

Feel free to get in touch with us and find out how we can help you. Send us a message by filling out our contact form. We’ll be right back with any answers to your queries.