What You Need to Know About Dental Implants

If you are visiting our blog, you are most likely interested in or researching dental implants. Dental implants have been touted as the most significant dental innovation of this generation. As a permanent solution for tooth, loss here are the most important things you need to know about dental implants:

What is a dental implant? Dental implants are made up of three parts important parts including a post, a crown and an abutment. When these three steps work together, they are an innovative solution to permanently replace missing teeth. An actual implant is a titanium screw called a post. The post is placed in the jaw bone to mimic a tooth root needed to replace teeth. The titanium post fuses with the jaw bone allowing the bone to grow directly to the titanium screws. Once fused the post allows for a solid attachment or base to place an individual’s new tooth or teeth. Dental implants are a permanent solution for missing teeth, making implants the closest thing to a natural tooth.

Why dental implants can save your jawbone: When you lose a tooth for any reason, there is a lack of stimulation to the jawbone from the missing root. Without the stimulation, the bone in the jaw begins to dissolve – a process called resorption. The longer a tooth is missing from the jaw bone, the greater the amount of bone loss. Dental implant posts actually fuse to the jawbone acting as a tooth root they stabilize and stimulate the bone allowing the jaw bone to maintain its dimension and density, which saves your jaw bone from resorption. Dental implants maintain jawbone levels and prevent future jaw bone loss which will help restore proper oral health.

Who is a candidate for dental implants? The great news about dental implants is that most people can receive implants without problems. It is recommended that younger patients wait until they stop growing; however, age alone isn’t a factor in determining whether or not someone can get implants. In fact, there are typically only a small number of circumstances that would disqualify you from receiving dental implants.

Dental implants can change the way people feel about themselves by increasing patient confidence, comfort and overall quality of life. Implants come with a higher price tag than other temporary tooth replacement options. Most people who receive one or more implants will tell you that it was an investment worth making!