Dental Implants are a great option to consider for replacing missing or broken teeth. Rather than resting on the gum line or using adjacent tooth as anchors, implants act as a long-term replacement that your dental surgeon fixes into the jawbone. In this article, we will outline the idea and process behind dental implants.
For many years the choices in regard to tooth replacement were fairly limited. Many people were forced to use a fixed bridge or removable dentures in order to regain the ability to eat, smile, and speak clearly. While these methods were technically effective, they were far from an ideal solution.
Composed of the metal titanium, that essentially fuses with the jawbone, these replacements never slip or make embarrassing noises, advertising the fact that you need false teeth. Bone loss is not a common problem and the decay rate is zero. In fact, many of the implants that were first placed in patients over twenty years ago are operating even today at peak performance. If properly maintained, they have the ability to outlast the lifetime of the patient.
An implant designed to replace a single tooth is made up of three separate parts viz. Titanium implant, Abutment that fits over the portion of the tooth that protrudes through the gum line and Crown which is fitted onto the abutment to create a natural look.
Many people missing single teeth may opt for a fixed bridge. The disadvantage here is that a bridge may require the cutting down of healthy teeth adjacent to it that may not need restoration down the road. In addition, there is the potential cost of replacement, as bridges more often than not, tend to wear out over a period of years. Likewise, adding a partial removable denture has been shown to aid in the loss of adjacent teeth. Even worse, full dentures may even be the cause of bone loss.
With a success rate in the upper ninety percent and over half a century of research and study to refer to, dental implants are more often than not, the best treatment for missing tooth available today!