If you have lost a tooth as an adult, you know the problems that accompany the loss. You may smile with a tight-lipped smile out of embarrassment. You may struggle to chew your food properly. You may even have difficulty forming all of your words correctly. That missing tooth or two, while physically small, can have a serious impact on the quality of your life. If you are looking to solve those problems and restore your healthy smile, dental implants can work wonders with the quality of your life.

Why Should I Consider Dental Implants?

There are several very specific reasons for you to look into the dental treatment known as dental implants.

• If you do not replace the teeth you are missing, the bone structure can dissolve away in the places where your teeth are missing. Over time, this will advance aging in your face and make you appear older.
• Dental implants are actually embedded in your jawbone. They are stable. They will not slip or fall out while you are talking or eating.
• Most dental implants will last for a lifetime.
• Since dental implants are permanently embedded, they look natural and they feel natural. Most people will never know that they are not your real teeth.
• The stability and permanent nature of dental implants will give you complete confidence to smile, talk, eat, and chew as if they are your real teeth. The confidence you gain will impact every area of your life.

If your tooth and root have been damaged beyond repair, the superior solution for replacement is a dental implant with a ceramic crown.

What is a Dental Implant?

Dental implants are fairly simple to explain and to understand. Taking just a moment to learn how they work can help you see how beneficial they can be.

• The whole process begins by placing a small titanium screw directly into the jawbone. This screw essentially serves as the root of the replacement tooth.
• Titanium has special properties which allow it to actually fuse to the jawbone over time. This fusion helps the implant stabilize the bone structure and prevent bone loss. This helps the bone to maintain the integrity of its shape and density.
• The permanent implant acts as a stable anchor for the replacement teeth.
• Dental implants are surgically embedded directly into the jaw. This treatment will work in the upper jaw or lower jaw.
• Titanium possesses biocompatible properties which cause it to fuse with the bone and become a solid anchor for the replacements.
• Dental implants are a great solution whether you are missing one tooth or several teeth.

Many of the patients who are considering dental implants are currently wearing conventional dentures or bridges that are removable. The patients who have made the decision to move to dental implants report a significant improvement in comfortably chewing their food.

What is the Procedure for Dental Implants?

It will take a team of professionals to place your dental implants. This team typically includes a periodontist or an oral surgeon to complete the surgical implant. Next a prosthodontist or general dentist will design and attach the replacement teeth to the implants. The team will work together to complete the treatment in a six-step process:

1. First, an x-ray will help the team determine if the bone structure of the jaw has the integrity to hold the titanium posts.
2. The team will work together to form a precise and accurate plan to provide you with the absolute best results.
3. Next, the implants are surgically implanted directly into the structure of the jawbone. It can take two to six months for the implants to completely fuse to the bone structure and be prepared to have the replacement teeth attached.
4. During the appointment in which the implants are surgically placed (under the use of a local anesthetic and a sedative), an abutment is attached directly to the implant. This abutment provides a place of attachment and a solid foundation for the final replacements.
5. Finally, the custom-fabricated crown is either cemented or screwed to the abutment for a permanent replacement of your missing teeth. They will be virtually indistinguishable from your existing, natural teeth.

Can Old Age Keep Me from Having Implants?

Some patients get a bit worried that their age will keep them from enjoying the wonderful benefits of dental implants that they have heard about from others.  The reality is that age is not the determining factor so much as health is. If your body is healthy enough to handle an extraction, it is very likely that your body can handle dental implants. The dentist can provide you with a consultation and let you know if there are any health issues that would preclude you from receiving dental implants. This consultation will include a thorough examination of your oral and overall health.

How Will Dental Implants Change My Life?

We have explained in detail how dental implants will look natural, feel natural, and function as natural teeth. This will give you the freedom to eat and choose the things that they enjoy the most. Many patients find that, in addition to the new-found freedom to enjoy their meals, they find something even more valuable. Patients who have received dental implants consistently report a new confidence in life as they lose their embarrassment over what their smile looks like. This new confidence will open many additional doors in your life!

Contact us today at Fisher Dentistry and schedule a consultation to find out how dental implants can change your life.