What are dental implants?
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root (synthetic titanium material) that is surgically anchored into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth in place. The benefit of using implants is that they don’t rely on neighboring teeth for support, they are permanent and stable.
Implants are a good solution to tooth loss because they look and feel like natural teeth. Although it is important that you have enough bone in the area of the missing teeth/tooth for the implants to be successfully attached.
Implants are increasingly being used to replace certain types of bridges and removable partial dentures.
How are dental implants attached?
This procedure requires surgical implantation into your jaw bone which requires a three to six month healing period before a crown can cover the missing tooth or teeth.
During this healing time, the bone grows in and around the titanium implant creating a very strong support. After the fixture is implanted and you are sufficiently healed, a very natural looking crown is placed on top of the implant.
Advantages of dental implants
As we age, permanent dental replacements like a dental implant become increasingly important. While dentures and removable bridges are often loose, implants provide you with teeth that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Disadvantages of dental implants
Implants are a major investment and not without risk. It is also a very time consuming procedure when having multiple implants attached.
Also, most patients experience varying degrees of discomfort or pain, which should subside in a matter of days. As with similar types of surgery, bruising and minor swelling might also develop shortly after the procedure.
An increasingly viable alternative
Implants are a wonderful, albeit more expensive, alternative to a fixed bridge. A surgical staff is required and our laboratory must perform a series of services to produce the desired result. The materials used to construct implant prosthodontics are also quite costly.
However, some dental procedures and portions of the restoration may be covered by dental and medical insurance policies. We can help you with this process.