What is a dental implant?
A dental implant is nothing more than a metal screw that is placed into the jaw bone. It acts as an anchor for a false tooth or a set of false teeth. The slide to the left shows the replacement of a lateral incisor with a dental implant retained restoration. Roll your cursor over the image to see the implant.
Dental implants are the state of the art technology offered today to replace teeth. A post or implant is placed in the jaw bone, the bone attaches itself to the implant and finally the implant is restored to tooth form. Today implants are very predictable and offer an effective way of replacing lost dentition.
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root made of titanium. It is placed in the position where the missing tooth used to be in the jaw bone and acts as an anchor for a new tooth or teeth. Implants behave like tooth roots by bonding to the underlying jaw bone. Some months following placement, titanium posts called abutments are connected to the implant to allow support for the replacement tooth or teeth. Dental implants should only be placed in a healthy mouth and it may be necessary to have other remedial treatment prior to implant treatment. This may include controlling gum disease, root canal therapy and the treatment of tooth decay.
A dental implant is a great way to fill in missing spaces in your mouth or to make loose dentures fit tightly. An implant is placed into the bone and left there for several months so the bone can grow around it – locking it into place. Once the implant is stable and fused into the bone, a crown is cemented on top of the implant. When the final restoration is placed, it still must be taken care of like a regular tooth. You must brush it and floss around it. Not everyone is a candidate for dental implants though. Sometimes the bone is not ideal for the implant, the sinuses are in the way, and also patients who smoke have a higher risk of the implant failing. With an overall success rate of 95% and about 50 years of clinical research, dental implants are a wonderful way to restore the teeth in your mouth!
