DENTAL IMPLANTS

Dental implants offer our patients durable, stable and long-lasting replacements for any missing teeth. They also provide more benefits than any other system of teeth replacement. 

Bridges and dentures are appropriate for some cases, but only dental implants integrate with the bone in the jaw to secure the replacement tooth. We’ll explain how a dental implant works and how it protects not only your ability to eat and talk normally, but also the long-term health of the bone in your upper or lower jaw.

Here’s the procedure for getting a dental implant:
  1. Careful imaging, examination and analysis determines the health of the bone and gums in the area where an implant will be placed. 
  2. If there is bone loss or a gum infection in that area, these problems need to be eliminated first. 
  3. In the case of bone loss, bone grafts may need to be done to restore the bone mass in the area. A bone graft will need time to heal before the implant is placed. 
  4. When the area is healthy and strong, a slender titanium post is placed in the jawbone to support a replacement tooth to be mounted later. 
  5. This post is allowed to thoroughly bond with the bone (a characteristic titanium is known for). 
  6. An abutment is added to the top of this post – that’s a connection that will secure the replacement tooth to the implant.
  7. Finally, the replacement tooth is connected to the abutment.

Benefits of a Dental Implant

When you have a dental implant, it’s as close as possible to a real tooth. It will not shift in the mouth like a denture. It can be expected to last considerably longer than a bridge. 


There’s also a benefit to the health of your jawbone. Earlier in this text, we mentioned that a jawbone may lose mass in the area of a missing tooth. That’s because bone in the jaws is actually designed to absorb all the stresses and impacts of biting and chewing. When these stresses are missing, as in the case of a missing tooth, the body tends to break down the bone in that area. But when you have an implant as a replacement, the stresses of chewing and biting are as normal as they can possibly be. Your body will no longer try to break down this bone. It will be nourished and preserved just like the rest of the bone in your body. 


As far as function and feel are concerned, it will be just as comfortable as having your old tooth in place again. Eating and speaking will be as easy as it was before the loss of the tooth. You’ll care for your implants the same way you would care for any other tooth. 


If you are missing any teeth or expecting extractions in the future, ask our staff how dental implants can offer a problem-free solution.