Dental Implants
Single Tooth Replacement
Implants completely simulate a natural tooth. Implants involve a surgical procedure that replaces missing teeth. A titanium cylinder secured in the bone functions as the root of the tooth. Then a crown attached to the titanium cylinder gives the appearance of a natural tooth.
The reason it is so important to replace the tooth root and not just the visible part of the tooth (crown) is that natural tooth roots, which were imbedded in the bone, preserve the bone. When teeth are missing, the bone that previously supported those teeth melts away, or deteriorates. This process is called bone resorbtion.
However, the bone can be preserved by replacing missing tooth roots with dental implants. Since the bone actually forms a strong bond to the implants, they can serve the same function as natural tooth roots: a strong foundation for biting and chewing, and stimulation for the bone to hold it in place.
With an overall success rate of about 95% and over 50 years of clinical research, dental implants have the best long-term prognosis of any method of tooth replacement.
For more information you can visit Institute for Dental Implant Awareness at www.MissingTeeth.org.
Implant Supported Dentures
Implant supported dentures are used when a person doesn't have any teeth, but has enough bone in the jaw to support implants. Implants are placed and a denture is fabricated to snap onto the implants. The result is a denture that is secure and stable. Implant supported dentures will feel more natural because the roof of the mouth is no longer covered by plastic. You will be able to eat foods you could not eat before, such as apples, carrots and steak!
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