Are Dental Implants Right For Me?
Dental implants offer a variety of solutions to patients in need. Whether you need to replace a single tooth or require a full restoration, dental implants look and function just like your natural teeth.
Dental Implants Can Help Patients By:
- Holding a single crown to replace a missing tooth.
- Stabilizing a loose fitting denture or to secure a bridge.
- Filling a narrow gap left by a missing tooth.
- Securing a smaller replacement crown for an incisor or premolar.
- Providing an anchor for patients with narrow jaws or missing bone or tissue.
The functionality of dental implants can benefit people of all ages and are particularly beneficial for those with less available bone within their jaw, as the small diameter of implants do not require as much.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants are artificial roots and teeth (usually titanium) that are placed into the upper or lower jaw bone. The teeth attached to implants are very natural looking and often enhance or restore a patient’s smile!
Dental implants are a great way to replace missing teeth and also provide a fixed solution to having removable partial or complete dentures. Implants provide excellent support and stability for these dental appliances.
Dentures that are not supported by implants can be too loose or fit poorly. Ill-fitted dentures can cause various problems like speech impediments, mouth sores, and inflamed gums. Loose dentures can even lead to gum infections. Anchoring dentures with dental implants secure these dentures into place, greatly minimizing these issues.
Patients with dental appliances often lack confidence and chew cautiously to prevent the bridge or denture from slipping, even if their appliances fit well. In addition to this, certain foods that may be hard, sticky, or fibrous may be avoided by some to avoid destabilizing their dentures. These concerns are all but eliminated when dentures are secured with implants, as they function like natural teeth allowing patients to chew like normal. Similarly, crowns can become loose over time as well. Not only will this lead to continued chewing difficulties, but may allow bacteria to decay the tooth holding the crown. An implant solves this problem, because when an underlying tooth is removed and a crown is secured to it, the patient does not need to worry about the implant decaying.
Denture wearers often are subject to tissue and bone loss from lack of stimulation; developing facial collapse where bone and tissue loss can lead to sunken features. Implants, however, provide pressure on the jaw bone that prevents bone and tissue loss. If a crown breaks, replacing it over a tooth root requires cleaning the tooth and fitting the crown to it. But with implants, it’s much simpler since the crown is usually cemented or screwed to the post.
Dental implants are very strong, stable, and durable. They last many years, and can be tightened if affected by normal wear and tear.
- Replace one or more missing teeth without affecting adjacent teeth.
- Resolve joint pain or bite problems caused by teeth shifting into missing tooth space.
- Restore a patient’s confident smile.
- Restore chewing, speech, and digestion.
- Restore or enhance facial tissues.
- Support a bridge or denture, making them more secure and comfortable.
Treatment Planning
Dental Implant Solutions
Every case is different, but the versatility of dental implants allow for patients to receive their benefits in a myriad of ways.
Making loose dentures stable and comfortable is one of the most transformative advancements in modern dentistry. In many cases, dental implants are the gold standard for achieving this stability and restoring function.
Traditional dental implants provide denture patients with a secure and long-lasting solution for eating, smiling, and speaking with confidence. These implants are strategically placed in the jawbone to serve as anchors for a fixed or removable denture. This process ensures that patients leave the office with dentures that feel natural and stay securely in place.
Although the placement of dental implants involves a healing period, the long-term benefits are significant. They offer unmatched durability, promote jawbone health by preventing bone loss, and eliminate the need for denture adhesives. Implants are an excellent choice for patients seeking a permanent and reliable solution for loose dentures. With advances in dental technology, many individuals who previously thought they were not candidates for implants due to bone loss may now have options, thanks to bone grafting or other preparatory procedures.
Made of Hybrid Resin or Zirconia, the removable bridge involves placement of between 6-10 implants, determined by bone volume and bone quality. This is a fixed hybrid bridge that can be detached by the dentist as needed at recall cleaning visits.
The Fixed Roundhouse Zirconia Bridge involves placement of a number of implants, determined by the bone volume and bone quality. The final bridge is tried in for patient comfort and aesthetic approval and then cemented in place. You no longer need to worry about your teeth moving or falling out because this is a cemented zirconia bridge.