Most of the time, when you run into traffic here in Austin, it’s due to construction or another fender bender. Well, a traffic jam that recently occurred in Spain was due to a very unusual reason.

Earlier this month, a motorcyclist brought traffic in Madrid to a complete stop when he pulled over to look for his dentures. According to local media reports, the dentures flew out of his mouth when he sneezed. Police officers approached the motorcyclist and ordered him to get back on his motorcycle and continue his drive for his own safety, and for the safety of the other drivers on the busy highway. The whereabouts of the man’s dentures are still unknown.

Dentures vs. Dental Implants

Dentures require more care than dental implants for a number of reasons. Dentures, unlike dental implants, are removable, and can often be misplaced or lost. The story above is a testament to that. Dentures are applied by paste, which is not as reliable as surgical dental implants. This paste has to be cleaned often, which creates another hassle of having to constantly worry about your oral health and condition of your dentures. While dentures are the cheaper alternative to dental implants, they usually have to be replaced every five years or so.

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants act as substitutes for the roots of missing teeth. They are the anchor the a replacement tooth or set of teeth.

Some advantages of dental implants include:

• Dental implants preserve natural tooth tissue by avoiding the need to cut down adjacent teeth for bridge work.
• They reduce the pressure on other teeth by offering independent support for crowns, bridges, and overdentures.
• Dental implants last much longer than other dental replacements, such as dentures.
• Loose fitting dentures can be replaced with implant overdentures. Improving overall support, stability and retention.
• They’re easy to clean and maintain for long-term durability.

The Procedure

First, an x-ray will be taken of your jaw to make sure you have enough bone to go through the procedure. If you’re approved for dental implants, a date will be set for your first appointment. When you come in for your appointment, you will be sedated and implants will be inserted where the missing tooth was. The number of implants depends on how many teeth you need replaced. Occasionally, and implant can act as an anchor for a number of implants. Dental implants are usually made of titanium and a patient will have to wait about four months for the implants to heal. During this time, the implants will fuse with the jaw bone.

Next, an oral surgeon will make an impression of the mouth, where the implanting teeth are attached. The teeth attached to the implants are natural looking and just as strong as real teeth. Implants can be treated just like real teeth and require the same oral care. They typically last between 15 to 20 years.

Dentures are a thing of the past, with advances in dental technology, dental implants are your best option for tooth replacement. If you have questions regarding dental implants, contact Greenspoint Dental today. Greenspoint Dental offers a number of dental procedures that will improve your smile and increase your overall confidence.