Dental Implants
When tooth loss happens, you want to restore a complete smile that is both functional and attractive. Dental implants can help you achieve this goal.
These unique devices are designed to become permanent fixtures in your jaw, so they can replace the missing roots of your teeth. Dental implants support a restoration – crown, bridge, or denture – and also act to secure the underlying jawbone.
Of course, the restoration secured by the dental implant is of utmost importance, and we work closely with our patients to make sure that your appliance looks exactly how you want it to.
If you want to take advantage of the most advanced tooth replacement solution available, visit our office for a consultation. Call us today to schedule your appointment.
Dental Implants: A Durable Solution for Tooth Loss
Dental implants are unique among tooth replacement options because they are structurally complete. This means that dental implants replace both the absent root and crown of a missing tooth.
The roots of our teeth are underappreciated structures, taking a back seat to the more noticeable crowns. However, they perform important functions for your smile, one of which is anchoring the jawbone tissue, which wears away after tooth loss in the absence of the root.
Because they secure bone tissue in the jaw, dental implants preserve the integrity of the jaw’s contour. Its shape remains constant, as does the fit of the appliance secured by those implants.
Dental Implant Technology: How It Works
Dental implants are made of titanium, which is biocompatible. As such, bone tissue at the implant site can fuse with the implant after the dentist places it in your jaw. This osseointegration process unfolds over the course of several months following dental implant placement.
This osseointegration process is instrumental to long-term dental implant success. If you do not have enough bone to sustain osseointegration, you are at risk for premature dental implant failure. Bone grafting can help make patients more suitable for dental implant placement in such cases.
Exquisite Restorations: The Final Piece of The Puzzle
Of course, the implant itself is only one component of the treatment to restore your beautiful smile. The prosthetic crown, bridge, or denture is just as important. We work to design an appliance with a natural aesthetic that blends in with your biological teeth.
Prosthetics are customized to match the shade and shape of the patient’s biological teeth so that the implant-supported appliance cannot be distinguished from its biological neighbor.
It is worth noting that not all providers place and restore dental implants. Many do only one of the two and refer you elsewhere for the other service. Because we provide both placement and restoration of dental implants, our office can complete the treatment process more efficiently.
The Many Benefits of Dental Implants
Why are so many people turning to dental implants? This technology has numerous benefits. The many perks of dental implants include:
Longevity
Dental implants can last for decades with proper care.
Security
Dental implants are fixed in the jaw, so the supported prosthetic stays in place securely.
Comfort
Dental implants are structurally similar to biological teeth, which means that they feel more like biological teeth.
Functionality
The connection between the bone and the dental implant facilitates the implant’s ability to withstand strong chewing forces.
Convenience
The practices used to maintain dental implants are quite similar to those used to care for your biological teeth, minimizing the need for special tools and techniques.
To continue to gain from their dental implants, patients must be dedicated to taking good care of them. Active gum disease can threaten the longevity of your implants, so you must commit to a robust oral hygiene routine and adequate professional care to minimize your risks.
Common Dental Implants Questions:
What is a dental implant?
A dental implant is a small titanium cylinder that is surgically placed into a patient's jaw to support a crown, bridge, or denture. Essentially, dental implants function as artificial teeth roots.
Am I a candidate for dental implants?
There are a few criteria that must be met for patients to be good candidates for dental implants. They must be free from active oral diseases, such as gum disease, and in good enough health to tolerate the surgical procedure needed for dental implant placement.
Most importantly, they must have sufficient bone tissue at the implant site to support osseointegration to completion. Patients who have experienced bone loss can still get dental implants, but they may need to undergo a preliminary bone graft to supplement bone tissue at the implant site. We can determine whether you are a good candidate for dental implants after evaluating your case.
How do implants prevent bone loss?
Dental implants stand-in for the roots of your biological teeth. One of the jobs those roots have is to hold the jawbone tissue in place. It will gradually wear away when the roots of the teeth are no longer available to do that job. As dental implants are structurally and functionally similar to teeth roots, they prevent that jawbone atrophy.
How many teeth can be replaced with dental implants?
Dental implants can be used to support a single crown, a dental bridge, or even an entire denture. There is no limit on the number of teeth that can be replaced by dental implants, as long as the patient has sufficient bone tissue at the implant site.