Dental implants have been called the most significant dental innovation of our generation, and it’s easy to see why! They are designed to closely mimic the structure of our natural teeth, from root to crown. With a 98% success rate — the highest success rate of all tooth replacement options! — implants are the best long-term solution for replacing missing teeth. When properly placed and cared for, dental implants can last a lifetime.
How Do Implants Mimic Our Natural Teeth?
A complete dental implant consists of a small titanium post (the implant), an abutment, and crown.
The implant serves as an artificial tooth root. Your natural jaw bone actually fuses with the implant, providing a sturdy foundation for the artificial tooth, and preventing bone loss that would otherwise occur in the absence of healthy tooth roots.
The abutment is the connector between the implant and the crown; it is placed on top of the implant to hold and support the crown.
The crown is custom-designed to be nearly indistinguishable from your natural teeth in shape, fit, function and appearance!
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants provide numerous advantages over other tooth replacement options like dentures or bridges.
Eat and Speak With Ease
One of the greatest advantages of dental implants is that they restore full chewing power, as well as the ability to speak clearly and comfortably. No more food restrictions, no difficulty shaping words around dentures, no special care required! Once fully healed, most patients cannot tell the difference between their natural teeth and their implant, and can also brush and floss completely normally.
Improved Oral Health
When a tooth is missing, jaw bone in the empty space shrinks away due to lack of stimulation, and surrounding teeth begin to shift into the gap. This eventually results in teeth alignment issues throughout the mouth, interfering with your ability to chew properly and also increasing your risk of oral health issues like: tooth decay and damage, gum disease, and TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders — which can result in frequent headaches and pain around the jaw and mouth. A dental implant prevents these issues, and as an added bonus, the prosthetic crown cannot develop cavities!
Stability, Longevity and Cost Savings
Properly placed and cared for implants have a very high success rate of 98%. Plus, they are built to last — with good oral hygiene and regular dentist visits, dental implants can last a lifetime. To contrast, dentures require frequent adjustments as your jaw bone shrinks without the stimulation of tooth roots, and can be more costly than a permanent dental implant in the long run.
Restore Your Smile and Confidence
Completed dental implants look and function just like your natural teeth! Dental implants are also the only tooth replacement option that stimulates jaw bone and prevents jaw bone loss. This unique feature helps protect your natural face shape, structure and smile, which would otherwise begin to sag and prematurely age without the support of teeth. With dental implants, you can smile, laugh, speak and eat with complete confidence again!
