http://www.premierstlouiscosmeticdentist.com, Barry D. Brace DMD and Associates sponsored an "Invitation Only" dental implant seminar to educate other local dentists about the benefits of dental implants, and implant retained dentures versus partial dentures, dentures, and bridges.

Many patients don't realize that most bone loss occurs within the fist six months of having a tooth extracted. Once you lose your bone it is very difficult and expensive to grow it back. Therefore, the best time to get dental implants is immediately after a tooth is lost or extracted, so there is bone to hold the dental implant in the mouth.

What are the advantages of dental implants? Implants feel and function like natural teeth. Many denture wearing patients complain about not being able to eat certain foods since their dentures are not tight in their mouths like regular teeth would be. They even complain that they are nervous about smiling and laughing because they are afraid their dentures might fall out! This is embarrassing and can be fixed with dental implants. Dentures that are held in with dental implants feel and function more like normal teeth. In studies dentists have estimated you have up to about 200 lbs. of chewing forces you use to chew and bite foods with your natural teeth. Dentures reduces that number to about 20-40 lbs. So you can see why dentures wearing patients complain! Implant retained dentures raise the chewing forces to about 140-160 lbs. of chewing forces. Not as much as natural teeth, but a huge improvement!! And patients never complain about feeling like their dentures might fall out when they smile and laugh. It restores quality of life to patients who have experienced tooth loss.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call Barry Brace DMD and Associates at 314-332-1307.