Dental Implants

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Your smile tells the world so much about you. A space from a lost or missing tooth may leave you feeling too self-conscious to smile. It may also have an impact on how you eat and affect your speech.

A dental implant is a device surgically implanted into the jawbone to replace a missing tooth. This screw is usually made of biocompatible titanium – the body readily accepts it with little chance of rejection or allergic reaction. As it heals, the implant integrates solidly into the bone. Then an abutment (post) is anchored into the implant to hold a cosmetic restoration; generally a porcelain crown.

Virtually all dental implants placed today are "root-form endosseous" implants. They appear similar to an actual tooth root (they have a "root-form") and are placed within the bone ("endo" being the Greek prefix for "in" and "osseous" referring to "bone"). The bone of the jaw accepts and osseointegrates with the titanium post. "Osseointegration" refers to the fusion of the implant surface with the surrounding bone. This allows the implant to look and function like a natural tooth. However, since dental implants fuse with bone and lack the periodontal ligament they feel slightly different than natural teeth during chewing.

Dental implants are the preferred method to replace a single lost tooth or multiple teeth. Traditionally, a crown and bridge served this purpose. Teeth on either side of the gap were reduced and crowned, to hold an artificial replacement in between. Since an implant is a stand-alone restoration, it does not impact the adjoining teeth. Implants look very natural, are strong and durable, and require no special home care – just your routine good oral hygiene (daily brushing, flossing, and regular dental check-ups).

Don't suffer the awkwardness of a missing tooth – call today for an implant consultation.