Dental Implants
A dental implant is a small titanium screw that will simulate a natural tooth in root function. The implant is placed in the bone and then bonds with the bone to serve as an anchor for the replacement tooth. Dental implants can be used to replace a single lost tooth or many missing teeth. Dental implants help prevent further bone loss which will help maintain facial structure. Dental implants look and feel like natural teeth.
Implants are not for everyone. You must be in good general health, have healthy gums and enough bone in your jaw to support the implant(s). You must be willing to see your dentist or dental specialist several times until the treatment is complete, and take very good care of your implant(s). In addition, implants can cost more than other kinds of replacement teeth.
It's normal for bone to shrink if it no longer has teeth to support. Because an implant bonds to bone, the bone is less likely to shrink. But if you have been missing teeth for some time, you may have lost bone. A bone graft can build up the bone so it can support an implant. When a bone graft is done, bone is added to the area where your jawbone has shrunk.
Because implants bond to the bone, false teeth attached to implants look and act much like natural teeth. But implants are not as strong as natural teeth. You must brush and floss your implant(s) very carefully. Be gentle, but make sure you brush all sides of your implant(s). A toothbrush that has longer bristles at the tip may help clean behind your implant(s).
Floss very carefully at least once a day. You will need to be gentle with the floss where the implant meets the gum (called the gumline). You may find a floss threader useful for cleaning this area. Also, take care as not to scratch the implant with any metal. |
