Category Archives: dental implants

Which teeth can be replaced by dental implants?

Do you wonder if dental implants are right for you? Have you lost one or more teeth? When it comes to treating tooth loss, dental implants are lauded as the most durable, tooth-like option available. Dental implants effectively restore oral function, support neighboring oral structures, and improve the aesthetics of a smile with a long-lasting prosthetic. Any type of tooth can be replaced with a dental implant as long as the area has adequate bone tissue to secure the implant in place. Our oral surgeons utilize advanced technology for accurate dental implant placement to ensure the best results possible. What does a dental implant do? Consider thinking of a dental implant as a prosthetic used to replace the root systems of teeth. All other tooth replacement options can only replace the visible structures of teeth. For instance, bridges connect to the visible structures of other teeth to fill in the…

4 Things You Might Not Know About Dental Implants

Dental implants are unique and revolutionary bases for replacing lost tooth structure. These innovative prosthetics increase oral function and improve appearance while supporting the health of important oral structures like gums and bone. Our oral surgeons have extensive experience placing dental implants. Since implants are a newer tooth replacement method, they offer many benefits that some people might not know about. Following are four facts about implants that might surprise you. Implants are Low Maintenance When compared to other types of prosthetics, dental implants are considered very low maintenance once they are stable. A dental implant and the restoration it holds are ultimately cleaned the same way that biological teeth are – with brushing and flossing. Specialized cleaning tools and overnight soaking are not required to keep dental implants clean. Dental Implants Replace Lost Root Structure A dental implant is a prosthetic made from titanium. It is embedded directly into…

Congenitally Missing Teeth: Are dental implants an option?

  Some patients are not born with a full set of 32 permanent teeth. In these cases, they should consider prosthetic tooth replacement options to complete their smiles. In the right conditions, dental implants can be a good solution for replacing a congenitally missing tooth. Structure of a Dental Implant Dental implants are unique among tooth replacement treatments because they consist of a root-like structure that supports a prosthetic crown or appliance. The dental implant is a titanium cylinder that an oral surgeon inserts into the jaw. After dental implant placement, the surrounding bone gradually fuses with the implant’s surface, and the dental implant becomes a fixture in the patient’s jaw. Qualifying for Dental Implants The quality of bone at the implant site is a critical element of long-term dental implant success. Often times, patients with congenitally missing teeth may also be lacking some bone structure in the area. This…

Why Dental Implants are the Ideal Tooth Replacement Solution

Tooth loss is a serious problem and finding the tooth replacement method to meet your needs is incredibly important for your quality of life. Advancements in surgical techniques, prosthetic materials, and oral health technology have greatly improved the way dental professionals approach tooth replacement. Today, many regard dental implants as the ideal tooth replacement solution. While the science behind dental implants is well known among dentists and oral surgeons, the general public might not know how beneficial dental implants truly are. Below are a few reasons why dental implants make for excellent replacement teeth. Lifelike Replacement Teeth A dental implant replaces the root structure of teeth. This is done by embedding a titanium screw-like prosthetic (dental implant) into the jawbone through the empty tooth socket. Over time, bone fuses to the titanium structure of an implant so that it is stable and sturdy. Once the process of bone fusing to…

Why can’t children get dental implants?

When a child loses a permanent tooth, parents may want to explore dental implants as a possible tooth replacement solution. Understandably, dental implants offer the most structurally complete tooth replacement and preserve the functionality and the appearance of the biological tooth. However, because their jaws are still developing, children typically are not good candidates for dental implants. If an oral surgeon placed a dental implant in a child’s jaw, there is a high likelihood that the dental implant would move out of the desired position as the jaw continued to grow and develop. Therefore, it is preferred to wait until jaw growth is complete before placing dental implants in children and adolescents. There may be some exceptions in which a child can get a dental implant as part of an overarching orthodontic treatment plan that helps to ensure the permanent positioning of the implant. However, these cases are quite rare.…

Top 5 Benefits of Dental Implants

An increasing number of patients who have experienced tooth loss are turning to dental implants to restore their smiles. These devices can be used in a variety of tooth loss scenarios, as they can support a single crown, a dental bridge or an entire denture. Dental implants have a number of benefits for patients, including the following. Dental implants help to preserve jawbone stability. After the oral surgeon inserts the dental implant in the patient’s jaw, the surrounding bone forms a bond with the titanium implant, which makes it structurally similar to a biological tooth’s root. Therefore, a dental implant helps to secure the jawbone in the same way that a tooth’s root does. As a result, an implant-supported appliance is more durable and will not lose its fit as the jaw’s shape changes. Dental implants are nearly as effective at chewing as biological teeth are. That bond between the…

Enjoy Your Favorite Foods with Dental Implants

Has tooth loss made eating food – especially your favorite meals – difficult or uncomfortable? Do you fear wearing bridges or dentures because they may not provide the durability or stability you want in your replacement teeth? There is a solution available that restores oral function in a way that conventional prosthetics cannot. With dental implants, patients can enjoy all their favorite foods without difficulty. Moreover, dental implants will not impair one’s speech. Read on for helpful information about these revolutionary replacement teeth. What Are Dental Implants? Dental implants are prosthetics designed to replace the lost roots of teeth. Unlike other prosthetics that only rest on top of the gums, dental implants anchor replacement teeth like crowns or bridges within the jawbone. An implant is a small, screw-like post made from titanium. This metal is biocompatible and allows for osseointegration – the process where bone generates new tissue to fuse…

Is the dental implant prone to cavities or gum disease?

Dental implants are often chosen by patients who need to replace a tooth that was lost due to tooth decay or gum disease. They offer a structurally complete tooth replacement and have a number of advantages over alternatives like dentures and dental bridges. Understandably, these patients want reassurance that those conditions will not compromise the replacement tooth as well. The implant itself, which is a small cylinder made of titanium, is not made of biological material so it is not directly susceptible to the effects of the oral bacteria that cause cavities and periodontal disease. However, the answer to this question is not quite that simple. Gum disease can affect the stability of a dental implant by degrading the quality of the underlying bone that supports it. Osseointegration, which is the process of bone bonding with the implant after the oral surgeon places it, is the keystone of the durability…

How closely do dental implants resemble a natural tooth?

Dental implants are the only structurally complete tooth replacement devices available today. After the titanium cylinder is inserted in the jaw, the surrounding bone fuses with it, creating a root-like structure to support a prosthetic crown. This is quite similar to the relationship between the root and crown of a biological tooth. Older methods, such as dentures and dental bridges, only restore the absent crown, not the missing root. Yet, that root structure plays a pivotal part in the smile’s overall stability. Therefore, a patient who receives dental implants from an oral surgeon gains a number of benefits from the intervention. Dental implants help to anchor the jawbone and prevent its atrophy following tooth loss. This helps to maintain the fit of the prosthetic appliance as well as protecting the surrounding teeth from the effects of jawbone erosion in the vicinity. Furthermore, dental implants preserve more of the functionality of…

Do dental implants require special care?

Dental implants offer patients a tooth replacement option that is convenient in many ways. One of those is day-to-day maintenance. In most cases, dental implants do not require any special care beyond the same good oral hygiene habits that you keep to preserve your biological teeth. After the oral surgeon places the dental implant in the jaw and the surrounding bone forms the necessary bond with the device, the implant-supported crown is able to stand alone without support from neighboring teeth. Therefore, there is no structure that restricts access to the gumline, as is the case with a traditional dental bridge. Patients can brush and floss around a dental implant in the same way they do with their natural teeth. No special tools, like floss threaders, are required. An implant-supported bridge or denture may require a special technique, such as sliding the appliance down in order to floss along the…