What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are a commonly used dental procedure for replacing a missing tooth (or teeth) with a cosmetically fabricated tooth crown. Dental implants are often used because they are one of the most secure and long-lasting methods of replacing teeth, leading to a natural-looking replacement that functions just like the real thing.
With a dental implant, a metal post is placed into the jaw beneath the gums and into the jawbone. Posts are used as an anchor for your future replacement tooth. Once the post is placed, your dentist will generally provide you with a temporary cap until the post has fully set and your gums healed. Later on the final and custom-made implant will be screwed onto the post and into its final position.
How Do They Work?
The implant is placed in a way so that it fuses to your jawbone. This creates an extremely stable support system for the artificial tooth that will be placed on top. When a replacement tooth, such as a bridge or crown, is connected to an implant, it won’t shift around. Also dental implants often last a lifetime and are one of the best and most permanent methods of getting replacement teeth.
Often, other methods of replacing teeth have to be redone after a few years. Dental implants are generally a good option because other choices for replacement teeth, such as ordinary bridges or dentures, aren’t always comfortable, and they can make it hard to have completely functional teeth.
Different Kinds of Dental Implants
The two kinds of dental implants that are generally accepted as safe options include:
Endosteal Implants:
This type of implant is surgically implanted into the jaw. A second surgery is needed after the implant is placed to connect a post(called an abutment) to the implant.
Subperiosteal implants:
This type of dental implant uses a metal frame that is placed onto the jawbone below the gum tissue. Over time, the gums heal and the frame becomes permanently fixed to the jaw.
Think you might be a good candidate for dental implants? Find out more by contacting Divine Dental Care today. We will be happy to answer any questions you have and find out if you’re a good match for implants.