If you’re missing a tooth or number of teeth, it can take a toll on your looks and overall quality of life. Whether you’ve suffered tooth loss due to periodontal disease, injury or another reason, it’s reassuring to know dental implants can look and function just like your own natural teeth.
So what exactly are dental implants—and how do you know if you need them? Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are placed in your jaw to anchor prosthetic teeth—crowns, bridges or dentures—that top the posts. If you’re missing one, several or even all of your natural teeth, dental implants can be an ideal tooth replacement option. Here’s how:
- If you’re missing one tooth. One implant and a crown can replace it without sacrificing the health of the neighboring teeth. For the other tooth replacement option, a tooth-supported fixed bridge, your dentist must grind down the adjacent teeth to support the cemented bridge.
- If you’re missing several teeth. Dental implant-supported bridges can replace them. A big advantage of bridges supported by dental implants is the implants will replace some of your tooth roots. As a result, the bone in your jaw will be better preserved.
- If you’re missing all of your natural teeth. Dental implants offer a treatment option patients much prefer over old-fashioned removable dentures that can be painful, inconvenient and awkward. During our popular “Teeth in a Day” procedure, our surgeons replace missing teeth with a full dental bridge supported by only four dental implants. Unlike removable dentures that can be unstable, All-on-4™ dental implants support a full dental bridge that can be fixed in your mouth.
If you’d like to learn more about dental implants and whether they are right for you, give our office a call and schedule a consultation with one of our surgeons.