Easily the most popular tooth replacement option, dentures have been around for thousands of years. At least 20 million Americans currently wear them, according to a recent estimate. For reasons we will soon discuss, those numbers are only expected to rise. They will not, however, keep pace with the exploding growth of dental implants. Here's why: Aging Population Even if we take good care of them (and most of us don't), our natural teeth rarely last us a lifetime. At last count, more than 35 million Americans were completely edentulous (toothless), and most of them are over the age of 65. For people of that age group, dentures have always been the only option. Increasingly, however, members of the younger generation, the baby boomers, are making the switch to dental implants. Why? Rising Life Expectancy One of the greatest victories of the 20th Century has been the incredible increase in human longevity. From the time the baby boomers were children in 1960, life expectancy has risen by 8 full years! As a result, boomers can expect to live much longer lives, on average, than their parents did. They are not, however, immune to tooth loss. Studies show that people of the aforementioned age group (65 and older) still lose all their teeth at a fairly consistent rate. In fact, by the time they reach retirement age, about one-third of seniors are entirely edentulous. Not surprisingly, boomers don't want to deal with messy, uncomfortable dentures for more than a decade after that. More Disposable Income Because they were the first generation to go to college en masse, the boomers also have more money, on average, than their parents did. As such, they can afford to spend a few thousand extra dollars on dental implants. In fact, most see them as a great investment since they often use them for a decade or more. It is no wonder the market is expected to experience double-digit growth for the foreseeable future. Greater Availability There was a time not so long ago when implants were seen as a luxury for the rich. Not only were they extremely expensive, but they were also generally only offered by the top dentists in mostly affluent areas. Times have changed. The growing popularity of the tooth replacement options has forced an entire generation of dentists to go back to school to learn about implant dentistry. It is now not at all uncommon for general dentists in small cities and towns of every economic stripe to offer implantation as an alternative to dentures. Lower Prices Improving technology and competition have also led to much lower prices for these dental devices of late. Both specialists and general dentists frequently have dental implant specials for new patients. It is also important to note that new materials and designs promise to lower prices even further in the coming years. For all of these reasons and more, the future of prosthetic dentistry belongs to dental implants. When in need of dental implants, Peoria, IL residents should visit http://www.secure-dental.com/dental_implants.
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