Interested in getting a dental implant? Find out what makes them so ideal for replacing missing teeth.

Losing a tooth can be stressful, but luckily modern-day dental technology has made it possible to replace that missing tooth. Yes, there are many ways in which to do it but if you are looking for a restoration that is as close to a real tooth as you can get then it’s time to consider getting dental implants.

The purpose of a dental implant is to replace the tooth roots of your missing tooth. They are built to function just like tooth roots and are placed into the jawbone of the socket where the missing tooth once was. If you are just looking to replace a single missing tooth then we will place the one implant into the jawbone during a simple surgery that can be performed under local anesthesia. If you want to replace several or all of your missing teeth we will determine how many implants you will need throughout the jawbone in order to support a dental bridge or removable dentures.

Once the implant has been placed into the jawbone it will start to naturally fuse together with the bone and tissue surrounding it in an amazing phenomenon known as osseointegration. This is the only tooth replacement that actually bonds with natural structures in your mouth to provide a very sturdy and reliable foundation from which to support your artificial teeth.

How does an implant bond with the bone? An implant is made from titanium, which is biocompatible. Biocompatible metals are ones that are very rarely if ever rejected by the body. Over the course of several months the bone and tissue will begin to regrow and actually grow around the implant. Once the process is complete, we will need to open up the gums once more to reveal the top of the implant. From there an abutment will be placed over top. An abutment serves to connect the implant, which no one will be able to see, with the artificial tooth that will sit above the gums.

After the gums have been given a few weeks to heal then we can place the custom dental crown over the top of the abutment to complete your restoration. If you are replacing multiple teeth this is when we will attach the bridges or dentures over the implant. Getting implants can take up to one year or more to complete, depending on how many and which teeth you are replacing.

If you want to find out whether dental implants are truly the best way to replace your missing tooth or teeth for life, it’s time you talked to your dentist further. It’s amazing how much dental implants can do for your smile.