Dental Implants: A Great Remedy for Tooth Loss

tooth replacement CharlottesvilleDid you know that dental implants are the most lifelike tooth replacement option available today? It’s true. Dental implants are prosthetics that not only last for decades (or longer), they replace the roots of missing teeth, which has been historically overlooked in the design of traditional prosthetics like dentures and bridges. Once the jawbone has stabilized the dental implant, a prosthetic crown or bridge is attached to it to complete the restoration process. Our oral surgeon has experience embedding dental implants for patients suffering from tooth loss.

How Dental Implants Work

A dental implant is a cylinder-shaped post made of titanium. It has a ridged texture that is similar in appearance to a small screw. This post is embedded into the jawbone through the empty tooth socket. Once the implant is surgically loaded, patients will undergo a recovery phase of treatment. This phase is important because patients’ jawbones will ultimately fuse around the titanium posts. Bone fusing to implants is what makes these prosthetics so long lasting and durable. Once the implant is stabilized by surrounding bone, it can serve as a replacement root of a lost tooth. By acting as a tooth’s root, the implant can support a bridge or crown by serving as a pillar or anchor to the custom prosthetic.

Advantages of Dental Implants

When compared to traditional prosthetic teeth including full and partial dentures, dental implants offer a number of unique advantages. The completed restoration, which includes the stabilized implant and a prosthetic crown, will support all oral structures. The implant itself will help prevent bone atrophy while the prosthetic crown supports neighboring teeth’s upright positions. By supporting bone health and adjacent teeth, implants can prevent further tooth loss. Additionally, a dental implant and its prosthetic can appear very lifelike – especially if the crown or bridge is made from porcelain – and therefore restore an incomplete smile as naturally as possible.

To learn more about your tooth replacement options, contact Charlottesville Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center to reserve a consultation with our oral surgeons.

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