Implants For people who wear dentures... no other procedure in dentistry has such a profound impact upon function and quality of life as replacing a poor fitting and poor functioning denture with teeth that are fixed to the jaw. The most appreciative patients are those who can smile, talk and chew again with confidence.For people who wear partial dentures... anyone who has experienced the embarrassment of a loose fitting partial denture appreciates the options that implant dentistry provides. Replacing partials with implant supported teeth which are fixed and stable is healthier for the remaining teeth. Implants can be used to anchor removable partials or can replace them all together. For people who have lost one or two teeth... the familiar treatment for replacing a missing tooth is to fill the space with a “bridge”. The disadvantage of a bridge is that it requires drilling unnecessarily on other teeth. It is also more difficult to clean under a bridge. Since having an implant is like having your own tooth back, flossing between the teeth is easy.  What are Dental Implants?Dental implants are “replacement” teeth made from titanium. They are used to either replace a tooth or be used as an anchor for a denture/partial denture to snap into to keep it from shifting while talking or chewing. Implants preserve your bone. Without teeth, the bone that supports your overlying facial structure begins to melt away and can make you appear older than you are. Implants slow down this process, allowing you to maintain your youthful appearance. Dental Implants Procedures The process of placing dental implants is painless and often less involved than having a tooth extracted or even having a root canal. The procedure consists of a very small titanium cylinder being gently placed into the bone. A crown is then connected to the top of the cylinder once it has integrated with the bone. Together the cylinder and the crown take on the function of a natural tooth. An implant can replace a single tooth, multiple teeth, or support or replace an ill-fitting denture. Many dentists perform both the surgical and restorative aspects of implant dentistry, allowing for the most ideal esthetic and functional results. |
