Losing a tooth due to injury, dental decay, or gum disease can happen. However, in order to avoid causing problems for the adjacent teeth and your overall dental health, it is important to replace the tooth that has been lost. This can be done any number of ways including fixed bridges, removable partial or full dentures as well as a more recent procedure known as dental implants.
One of the most significant dental innovations in recent times, an implant is a small surgical fixture made of biocompatible metal or ceramic materials that is placed into the jawbone and functions in the same manner as the root of tooth. In the same way that natural root supports the natural crown of your tooth, an implant once it fully integrates with the surrounding bone, provides a stable and durable foundation for a replacement tooth. Implants often support a crown for an individual tooth, but can also be used as abutment teeth for a dental bridge, or strategically placed to help stabilize a denture.
Out of all the restorative choices available today, an implant comes the closest to replicating the look, feel and function of a natural tooth. Furthermore, it is the only method of tooth replacement that does not require the involvement or preparation of the adjacent teeth. A dental implant also stimulates bone remodeling to prevent shrinkage in areas where teeth are missing and helps to restore facial contours in areas where significant bone loss has occurred.
Lost or missing teeth can diminish the appearance of your smile as well as affect your ability to speak clearly and properly chew food. In fact, an incomplete smile can even have an effect on your overall well being. Fortunately, modern dentistry offers several cosmetically pleasing and functional methods of teeth replacement to rebuild your smile.
Today, many individuals are interested in receiving dental implants to replace their missing teeth in order to reestablish a complete and beautiful smile. A dental implant is a small, biocompatible post that is placed directly into the jawbone during a minor surgical procedure. It behaves in much the same way as the root of a natural tooth. As the most advanced method of tooth replacement modern dentistry offers, a dental implant comes the closest to replicating the look, feel and function of a natural smile. Dental implants may be used to support either a single dental crown or multiple ones, as your smile requires. Special dental implants can also be placed in certain cases to provide added stability to a removable denture.
Once your dental implant has been placed and has had the time to integrate with the surrounding dental bone, it is ready to provide strong support for your new replacement teeth. At this time our office will fabricate the most cosmetically pleasing and durable crowns or dental bridges to give you back a smile that you can enjoy for many years to come.