Dental Implants
By: Jessica Stack | Tuesday, December 15th, 2015 | Dental Implants
Tuesday, December 15th, 2015
Missing one or more teeth can detract from your appearance, make it harder to speak and eat, and leave you vulnerable to other oral health problems in the future. Dental implants provide a permanent solution to missing teeth. Keep reading to learn more.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are permanent replacements for missing teeth. The process involves inserting an artificial root (often made of metal) into the jawbone to take the place of the original missing tooth. Once the implant has become secure, a crown is attached to it to replace the missing upper section of the tooth.
Dental implants can be used for single tooth replacement, but if you have a larger gap in your smile, implants can also be used to support bridgework or dentures. Dental implants make bridgework and dentures much more stable.
Why is it important to replace missing teeth?
There are a number of reasons it is important to replace missing teeth. Having a missing tooth, or multiple missing teeth can significantly detract from your appearance and hurt your self confidence, but it can also make it harder to eat healthy foods, speak, and drink.
In addition to the problems above, having a gap in your smile can lead to future dental problems. When there is a missing tooth, the surrounding teeth are more likely to become misaligned. Having a tooth missing can also damage your jawbone. In order to stay healthy, your jawbone needs something to support, without an implant, the jawbone could become weaker and deteriorate.
What should you expect?
Dental implants usually require at least two appointments. First, the implant itself is placed in your teeth. Options for this implant include screws, blades, and cylinders. This implant will be surgically implanted in your jawbone to provide a stable foundation for the rest of the tooth. After the implant has been placed it will need some time to heal and take hold. Once the implant is secure and surrounding tissues have healed, a crown can be attached to the implant to replace the upper portion of the tooth. The crown looks and functions like a normal tooth and makes it easier to eat, speak, and more.
To learn more about dental implants and other treatments that can restore your smile, schedule an appointment with Dr. Price.
