People are living longer than ever, and while regular brushing, flossing, and checkups allow many of us to maintain our natural smiles for a lifetime, sometimes our teeth just can't keep up. If you've lost a tooth (or a few teeth) due to injury or disease, dental implants can rejuvenate both your smile and your oral health.
An implant serves as a synthetic tooth root in the shape of a post that is surgically placed into the jawbone. The “root” is usually made of titanium: the same material used in many replacement hips and knees, and a metal that is well-suited to healing in the bone. An implant crown is then fixed to the implant.With proper maintenance and care, these single tooth replacements feel more like natural teeth than other removable options.
The ideal candidate for implants is a non-smoker who has good oral health, including a sufficient amount of bone in the jaw, and healthy gums with no sign of gum disease.
Single or Multiple Implants
Implants are versatile. If you are only missing one tooth, one implant plus one crown will do the trick. If you are missing several teeth in a row, a few strategically placed implants can support a permanent bridge (a set of replacement teeth). Similarly, if you have lost all of your teeth, a full bridge or full denture can be permanently fixed in your mouth with a strategic number of implants.
Advantages Over Dentures or Bridges
Conventional bridges and dentures are not fixed in the bone, and therefore bone loss is commonly observed in these edentulous sites. This can make it difficult to eat or smile with confidence. Implants not only look more natural, but feel and act more like normal teeth. Since they don't directly rely on neighboring teeth for support, implants don't compromise the health of your natural teeth.
Post-Treatment Care
Consider your replacement teeth to be the same as natural teeth. They require the same daily brushing and flossing, and the same amount of regular checkups. Just like your natural teeth, the better you take care of your replacements, the longer they will last.
Implant Services
Our implant services include:
- Implant Crown Restorations: After your implant is placed by one of our local area specialists we allow the implant to integrate into the surrounding bone. Once the bone has fully developed around the implant, we will take an impression of the site using one of our digital scanners before fabricating a crown to cover the impant.
- Implant Maintenance: Once your dental implant restoration is completed, it is important to keep the area clean and infection-free. Dental implants can accumulate plaque and tartar just as teeth can. Whether you have just one tooth replaced by an implant or several, a professional cleaning schedule will be necessary to keep your implants healthy. The time interval for these professional cleanings will be determined by your individual needs.