Dental Implants

When a tooth is missing (congenitally or by extraction) a dental implant may be used in teh process to replace the missing tooth. A dental implant has 2 parts. The part that you chew on is called a crown. This part is completed by your dentist. The part in teh bone is called the dental implant. It acts like the root of your tooth to hold the crown in place. The implant is surgically placed into bone and is allowed to heal for about three months. This is the time needed to allow the bone to fuse to the implant. One the implant and bone have fused, you can see your dentist to have the crown made

Alternatives

The alternative to dental implants includes bridges and dentures. These options are provided by your dentist.

Which is the best option for me?

The best option depends on your preferences and may be limited based on your situation. In order for a dental implant to be placed, there must be adequate bone. In some instances, bone can be added (human donor, animal based, artificial). There may be limitations based on biology (nerve in lower jaw or the sinuses in the upper jaw).

Are dental implants forever?

A dental implant is an artificial root. Just like a tooth, there can be problems with the bone around a dental implant. After some time, there may be bone loss around a dental implant. In some cases surgery can be done to add bone around an existing implant. At other times the bone loss can be so severe that the implant needs to be removed.

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