What Are Dental Implants
Dental implants are the state of the art in tooth replacement. Consisting of strong biocompatible titanium, implants are made out of the same material used for knee and hip replacements. Dental implants are the only tooth replacement option that not only replaces missing teeth permanently, but also replaces the whole tooth, including the root.
Whether you have a single missing tooth or several, dental implants offer a permanent, effective solution that looks and functions just like a natural tooth, without the discomfort and inconvenience of dentures or the unnecessary removal of healthy tooth structure for bridges.
Dental implants consist of two elements: The implant itself that is placed in the jaw bone below the gum line, and the tooth replacement portion that is attached to the implant.
Tooth Replacement
The tooth replacement will usually consist of a single porcelain crown, which is affixed to the implant via a metal abutment which is screwed into the implant.
In cases in which multiple adjacent teeth are replaced, however, a porcelain bridge may be affixed to the implants to replace all of the missing teeth.
A missing tooth can create many different health and dental problems. Not only can the missing space in your smile be the perfect place for bacteria to grow, causing gum infections, but the space can also allow the other teeth on your smile to drift out of place. Also, when you loose a tooth, the bone that surrounded the tooths roots begins to deteriorate, weakening your jawbone.
