Teeth can be lost due to a variety of reasons, including gum disease and facial trauma. A lost tooth can cause changes in your ability to chew, your bite, and even the health of your jaw. Thankfully, we have options that can restore a single, or multiple missing teeth. Using dental implants, we can rebuild and restore the tooth structure. We invite you to learn more about dental implants and how they can improve your oral health. Our team at Metropolitan Dental Specialty Group can replace missing teeth, restore your function and even improve your quality of life, with the surgical placement of a dental implant.
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a post that we can surgically place to serve as a new tooth root, reestablishing the connection between the jawbone and a dental prosthetic. The implant is shaped similarly to a screw in size and shape, with a threaded end and a head. Implants come in varying widths and lengths depending on the work being completed, they also come in either titanium or a ceramic material depending on the positioning and patient’s needs.
Following the placement and procedure of your implant, there is a required healing period of time. Your gum tissue will heal quickly, in just a few days, but bone tissue takes longer, possibly months. As the bone heals, it will grow around the threads bonding the implant and bone permanently together for a firm hold. Once healed, the post should be stabilized to your jaw providing a secure support for your new teeth.
Implants For Varying Restorations
With a secure implant, their use offers a lot of versatility in restoring missing teeth. Dental implants can be used to support a wide variety of dental prosthetics, including:
| • | Single Tooth Restorations: A dental implant can be used to support a single dental crown, some patients may have multiple single implants for multiple missing teeth. |
| • | Multiple Teeth Restorations: We can use any combination of implants and healthy teeth to place an implant support bridge for multiple missing teeth. This can be an alternative to traditional bridges and partial dentures. |
| • | Full Arch Restorations: A full arch restoration replaces a whole arch of teeth offering a stabilized option for your denture. We offer bar retained denture with implants and ball retained denture with implants. Additionally, you can have your denture permanently set using the All-on-4® Treatment Concept. Having your denture held in place with the use of implants will increase your comfort and help you resume eating your regular diet. |
Dental Implant Benefits
Dental implants provide our patients with more than replaced teeth, but restored teeth, benefits include:
| • | Replaced teeth that feel natural. |
| • | Replaced teeth that did not require the permanent alteration of neighboring teeth. |
| • | Improved bone health thru reestablishing the connection between the tooth and bone. |
| • | Knowledge that your replacement tooth or teeth is stable. For dentures, this means they will not wiggle, rock or come loose. |
With dental implants, we can restore the function of your missing teeth and increase the beauty of your smile. For more information, and to find out if you are a candidate for dental implants, call Metropolitan Dental Specialty Group at (301) 585-0400 today.