Dental implants offer a smile that looks and feels very natural. Surgically placed below the gums over a series of appointments, implants fuse to the jawbone and serve as a base for individual replacement teeth, bridges or a denture.
Dental implants offer stability because they fuse to your bone. Integration of the dental implants into your jaw also helps your replacement teeth feel more natural and some people also find the secure fit more comfortable than conventional substitutes.
Naturally, the effects of tooth loss vary and depend on what have been lost. Losing a crown means losing the visible part of your tooth and this may affect your confidence. However, if you lose the root as well, you have lost the unseen part of your tooth and although this may not affect you aesthetically, it is undoubtedly the most important part of the tooth. The root anchors the tooth to your jawbone, acting as a foundation for the crown. Without the root, the bone around the missing tooth will gradually recede causing the remaining teeth to shift. If this is allowed to continue chewing will become more and more difficult.
For those who have lost all their teeth in an upper or lower jaw, the long-term problems are even greater. The bone shrinks after tooth loss. This causes the nerves to become exposed and the dentures will lack support. Loose fitting dentures can cause further problems and lead to sore gum tissue and additional pain.
What are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is made of titanium and shaped like a screw, which will be placed into the jawbone and serves as a secure root for the new tooth. Once the dental implant is in place, several different types of dental restorations, such as crowns, bridges or dentures, can be attached. This is a good option that allows you to replace missing teeth with ones that look, feel, and perform like your own natural teeth. During the first step of this procedure, a doctor skilled in implant dentistry surgically places a titanium screw or post in the patient?s jaw. After the gums have healed around the embedded post, a replacement tooth is attached to the top of it. Dental implants use a high-tech surgical procedure to fuse one or more titanium cylinders to the jawbone. Dental implants can last a lifetime, and because the tooth is placed permanently into t
