Introduction to Dental Implants

A dental implant is a small titanium screw that serves as a replacement for the root portion of a missing natural tooth. Dental implants can be used to replace one tooth or several, or for full removable or permanent dentures. Implants are permanent and strong, and the resulting restorations both look and feel totally natural, for a completely transformed smile.

How dental implants work
An implant-supported restoration looks, feels, and functions much like a natural tooth. Due to the biocompatible properties of titanium, a dental implant fuses with the bone in your upper or lower jaw. In addition to anchoring your replacement tooth, the implant prevents the bone in your jaw from shrinking and weakening when the tooth root is absent.

Why to choose dental implants
There are many reasons that dental implants are such a great option for replacing missing teeth. The first has to do with the bone loss mentioned above. For some people, the amount of bone loss due to missing teeth is not serious, and there is still enough bone to provide a good solid foundation for full or partial traditional dentures. However, for some patients significant bone loss can trigger a number of problems. It can cause traditional dentures to fit loosely, making it hard to bite and chew and causing the dentures to rub, which causes painful sores. The patient’s speech may also be impaired and this can cause a loss of confidence.

Replacing missing teeth with an implant will prevent this bone loss, improve chewing function and health, maintain facial structure, and help you to feel more confident in your appearance.

Choosing a dental implant will also preserve healthy adjacent teeth, providing a long-term solution for overall dental health, and implants are more stable than traditional full or partial dentures.

Replacing a missing tooth with a dental crown supported by a dental implant
Like a natural root does for a tooth, a dental implant provides the foundation for a dental crown. The resulting implant and crown assembly functions very much like the missing tooth did.

Replacing several teeth with a dental implant bridge
There are many different kinds of bridges available; however, an implant-supported bridge is one of the best solutions for both esthetics and function. Like natural roots, dental implants provide the foundation for a dental bridge. The implant bridge functions very much like the missing teeth did. Ask us if you are a candidate for an implant-supported bridge.

Replacing all of your teeth with permanent dentures or removable overdentures on implants
Dental implants can be used as an alternative for traditional dentures, removing the need for messy and unreliable denture adhesives, reducing or even eliminating painful denture gum sores, and removing the worry over loose dentures slipping or clicking. By using dental implants to secure permanent dentures or removable overdentures, you can regain the confidence of having fixed, solid teeth again.