Dental Implants are titanium fixtures that replace the roots of teeth.  Once the implants have been placed and allowed to fix solidly in the bone, they can be attached to a prosthesis such as a crown, fixed bridge, or complete denture to provide maximum retention and chewing force.  Generally speaking, dental implants are the most desirable option for replacing missing teeth.

Here’s a quick comparison of chewing power measured in pounds/square inch (psi):

The average bite force for someone with all their teeth is 150-250 psi.

An edentulous person (someone without their natural teeth) wearing dentures is reduced to 50 psi.

After 15 years of wearing dentures that person is reduced to 5.6 psi.

A denture retained with implants can restore 60% of the original chewing force, meaning that if the bite force with natural teeth was originally 200 psi, then dental implants in a fifteen-year denture patient can take them from 5.6 to 120 psi.  That is the difference between being able to eat only a soft-food diet to being able to eat whatever they want.  That is a life-changing transformation.

A Johns Hopkins University study recently listed 10 important health recommendations.  On the list at #4 was to have dental implants instead of dentures.

If you live in Eustis, Mount Dora, Tavares, Leesburg or the Lake County area, and are not happy with having missing teeth, or if you are having difficulty with an existing denture, call Dr. Eric Meeker for an implant consultation.  It could change your life!