Orange County dental healthcare professionals regard dental implants as the most desirable treatment for patients who have lost one tooth, several teeth or even all of their natural teeth. You simply cannot do better in terms of smile aesthetics, bite function, oral comfort and overall quality of life. And yet, for something so effective and beneficial, dental implant treatment has many stigmas and misconceptions attached. Unfortunately, it's this misinformation that prevents many Orange County residents in need of new teeth from the best possible treatment.
So, in this four-part article series, we shall be taking a look at 7 of the most prevalent misconceptions and myths about dental implants in Orange County and, with a powerful mixture of logic and fact, we shall be deconstructing them. Let's begin with the first and most prohibitive of the myths surrounding dental implant surgery: the one that does the most damage to the reputation of an otherwise superior dental treatment.
# 1 - Dental Implant Myths in Orange County: Implants are too expensiveFact: Dental implants do lie at the far end of the cost spectrum, however, they simply aren't as expensive as most patients are convinced they are. It all depends on your particular case. Most Orange County dental implant surgeons work closely with medical financing companies, so payment is totally manageable, even for those residents on a restricted budget.
There is also the added truth that dental implants are typically a one-time expense, whereas other more inferior teeth replacement technologies often require additional restorative work or even replacement after a few years.
For example, in the case of single tooth replacement, many patients often choose conventional bridges for their lower price tag. However, bridges often fail after 10-12 years and, in addition, tend to cause the decay of the teeth adjacent to them. This means that you'll have to pay to have the bridge restored or replaced and the neighboring teeth replaced as well!
"Over time, the cost of inferior dental technologies can add up to well over the initial cost of dental implant surgery and the damage you're doing to your natural healthy teeth, devastating," says a dental implant surgeon in Orange County. "This is why we recommend implants in the first place."
At the end of the day, dental implants are typically a one-time expense, they can last you a lifetime and they support a much greater quality of life. And when it comes to your quality of life and crucial aspects such as your ability to eat comfortably, socialize with confidence, smile openly and maintain good oral health, a sound investment is more than justifiable.
"Too often, we see patients regretting their earlier choices of alternate teeth replacement technologies that, in the long run, have ended up costing them far more than the initial expense of a dental implant or implants," says an Orange County dentist. "Make the smart choice from the outset, cover the necessary costs, look after your teeth moving forward and you'll find implants to be the most cost effective solution on the market."
Stay Tuned for Part 2To read the truth behind more dental implant myths, stay tuned for the second installment of this four-part article series (coming next week).
Dr. John A. Aguilera is a licensed
Orange County dental implant dentist who has a passion for cosmetic dentistry and for the treatment of missing teeth. Dr. Aguilera has more than 30 years worth of experience in serving the complete dental needs of Orange County and surrounds and is also a senior mentor/instructor at the California Center for Advanced Dental Studies.
