Millions of people in the United States are missing all their teeth. Over one hundred million are missing at least one tooth. With staggering numbers like this, the need for advanced dental practices that focus on replacing missing teeth becomes apparent— not just purely for appearance’s sake.
Replacing a missing tooth or missing teeth is important to more than just the aesthetic appearance of your smile; it makes a difference for your oral health as well.
How Do Dental Implants Make a Difference?
Natural teeth are fully integrated into the jawbone. It therefore stands to reason that a dental prosthesis would need to have the same sort of stability that a natural tooth would get from the jawbone in order to be as effective as possible.
When a permanent tooth falls out, the root and nerves of the tooth that exist below the crown are also lost. Losing these new tooth roots can lead to jawbone deterioration.
That’s where a dental implant makes all the difference.
Dental implants are often confused as the dental prosthesis that they are attached to. In reality, dental implants are the surgical components that hold the dental crown, bridge, or denture in place in the mouth. A dental implant is placed to act as the root of the new tooth, stimulating the jawbone and providing a solid anchor for new teeth.
Placing Dental Implants
As a new tooth root, the dental implant has to be placed deep down below the gumline. It will be attached surgically to the bone.
The jawbone and dental implant fuse together in a process called osseointegration. This ensures that your new teeth are resting on a secure base.
After the osseointegration process is complete, the dental prosthesis can be attached.
Types of Dental Prostheses Attached to Dental Implants
You can get different types of dental prosthesis attached to dental implants, such as the following:
- Bridges.
- Crowns.
- Dentures.
- Partial dentures.
Each of these will function and look just like a natural tooth. We can help you select the type of dental prosthesis that will best meet your needs.
Call Welch Dentistry to Restore Your Smile!
Give our office a call today with questions about dental implants or the types of dental prostheses they support. We would also be happy to set up an appointment to help you get a smile you can be proud of again!
