Tooth loss can affect your confidence, limit your ability to enjoy various foods, and have other lasting consequences for your oral and overall health. Fortunately, modern dentistry offers a number of tooth replacement solutions. Among them, dental implants stand out as the best way to renew a strong and functional smile. Would you like to learn more about them? This blog post serves as a helpful introductory guide.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are small cylinders, or posts, made of a medical-grade titanium alloy. During a minimally invasive surgery, they get placed into the jawbone. Then, through a process known as osseointegration, they form a strong bond with the surrounding tissue. Therefore, they are able to act as very strong and stable prosthetic tooth roots.
Dental implants can be used to replace any number of teeth. Whether you need to fill a small gap in your smile or completely rebuild both of your dental arches, they may be a viable solution for you.
What Is Involved in the Dental Implant Procedure?
The dental implant procedure can take several months. It involves four main stages of treatment:
- Initial consultation.
- Dental implant surgery.
- Osseointegration.
- Placement of restorations.
Some patients need additional care as well, such as a bone graft prior to their dental implant placement surgery.
Even though the dental implant procedure is complex, it offers benefits that make it well worth any inconveniences that you might experience along the way.
What Benefits Do Dental Implants Offer?
Dental implants offer some benefits that you simply cannot enjoy with other forms of tooth replacement:
- Longevity. Dental implants often last for decades. The restorations (crowns, bridges, and dentures) on top of them can also endure for many years.
- Jawbone health. Dental implants can stimulate blood flow to the jawbone, which helps to keep it healthy and whole.
- Natural look and feel. Dental implants look and feel so natural that they are often regarded as being the next best thing to real teeth.
- Outstanding function. Dental implants can restore a bite force that is almost equal to that provided by natural teeth.
Are Dental Implants Right for You?
Dental implants are a wonderful solution for most patients who have lost one or more teeth. Before approving you for this treatment, your oral surgeon will need to make sure that your jawbone is healthy enough to support implants. They will also learn about your medical history and relevant lifestyle habits. Even if you are not currently a candidate for dental implants, it is very possible that you could become one after some preparatory procedures.
Dental implants are the best way to restore lost teeth! Talk to a local oral surgeon to learn more about them.
Meet the Practice
Under the leadership of three board-certified oral surgeons, our practice specializes in providing top-quality dental implant services. We use a combination of advanced technology and modern techniques to support positive and predictable outcomes for our patients. To learn more about this form of tooth replacement and how we may be able to help you rebuild your smile, contact Piney Point Dental Implant Center at 713-597-7340.