What are Dental Implants?

A dental implant is a titanium screw that is gently placed directly into the jawbone to act as an anchor to support one or more crowns, bridgework or a denture. It provides the closest alternative to natural teeth currently available.

A significant advantage of an implant is that it avoids the need to drill down the teeth either side of the "gap" which would normally be necessary in preparation of a conventional bridge.

With natural teeth, the teeth stimulate the surrounding bone with each bite. This preserves the integrity of the bone. When a tooth is lost, the bone is not stimulated and begins to shrink away. A dental implant keeps this bone intact and can prevent both bone loss and gum tissue shrinkage. A dental implant is also much easier to clean as compared to a bridge, and unlike a bridge, an implant can not be affected by cavities.

A dental implant and crown looks and functions like a natural tooth, while having several advantages over other types of tooth replacement.

Implants can also be used as anchors to improve the stability and retention of loose dentures. Patients find great improvements during speech and eating, increased comfort and renewed confidence.

Many older adults are turning towards dental implant supported dentures for their greater comfort and confidence with dentures. An upper implant supported denture need not cover the palate like a conventional denture, thus restoring the lost taste sensation that often goes hand in hand with an upper denture.  Many people are often able to eat the foods they couldn’t with their old dentures.

Multiple teeth implants are a great way to add confidence to your smile with a truly snug fitting denture or getting rid of an ill-fitting denture altogether and replacing it with an implant bridge. This could replace a few teeth or even a complete set.