Missing teeth can affect more than just your smile—they can affect your confidence, chewing ability, and potentially the shape of your face. This is where dental implants near you come in. These modern restorations afford an opportunity for a permanent, natural-looking treatment option for tooth loss so that you can eat, speak, and smile with comfort again. If you are searching for a trustworthy dentist near you who creates long-lasting tooth replacements, dental implants may be what you are looking for!
Dental implants are referred to as the gold standard in replacing missing teeth. They will not only restore the look of your smile, but will also help keep your oral health intact by preventing bone loss and keeping your remaining teeth straight and aligned.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots, usually made from titanium. Dental implants are placed under a surgical procedure into the jawbone. After osseointegration, the dental implant fuses into the bone and stabilizes in the jawbone, providing a solid foundation for a dental crown, bridge, or denture.
Each implant is produced to be similar to a natural tooth:
- The implant post is the replacement for the tooth root.
- The abutment is the connection to replace the tooth.
- The crown (visible tooth) is customized to match the other teeth.
These three components enable dental implants to feel, resemble, and function very similarly to natural teeth with great durability, beauty, and comfort.
How Do Dental Implants Function?
The process of getting a dental implant may involve more than one trip and tends to take months because it is often important for healing to occur in order for the implants to be collected and effective for long-term use. A typical process would include the following stages:
- Consultation and Evaluation—At this visit, you will see your dentist, who will look in your mouth, obtain some x-rays, and look at your bone structure to assess your eligibility for getting dental implants.
- Implant Placement—The second step occurs when an oral surgeon surgically places a titanium post into your jawbone. For the next few months, your bone will fuse to the titanium post and hold it in place.
- Abutment Placement—When the site has healed, an abutment, or small connector, is attached to the titanium post.
- Crown Placement—A dental crown is placed on top of the abutment to restore the function and aesthetic values of your missing tooth.
Ultimately, the result is a very strong and permanent solution that mimics your own natural teeth.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants can be life-changing and have many benefits, which makes them one of the most popular options for replacing teeth:
- Natural Looking and Natural Feeling—Dental implants feel and will function just like a natural tooth would feel and will function.
- Improved Chewing and Speech—Dental implants will restore your ability to eat comfortably and allow you to speak very clearly.
- Prevents Bone Loss—Dental implants will stimulate the jawbone as natural tooth roots do to prevent bone deterioration.
- Long-Lasting Solution—With proper care, dental implants can last for a lifetime.
- No Impact to Adjacent Teeth—Unlike bridges that bridge two or more teeth (dependent on other healthy teeth for support), implants do not depend on other adjacent teeth.
- Increased Self-Esteem – Dental implants may also serve to boost your smile and self-esteem.
Whether you need just one implant or to restore a full arch, dental implants in York offer an aesthetic and solid solution for your oral health and lifestyle.
Are You a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
Most patients who are missing one or more teeth, including most healthy individuals, can be great candidates for dental implants. Here are just a few things that your dental team will look into prior to proceeding with implants:
- Healthy Gums—You must not have active infection or gum disease (periodontitis or gingivitis).
- Bone Density—You must have bone density in your jaw sufficient to support your implant.
- Good Health—Underlying medical conditions (including uncontrolled diabetes) may affect the healing process.
- Do not smoke—smoking can contribute to a decrease in healing time and an increase in the future risk of failure of an implant.
Should you find that your bone densitometry reading is deficient, you may be referred to a dentist in York for a bone graft before proceeding to receive your implant.
How to Maintain Care for Dental Implants?
Dental implants are relatively low-maintenance restorations as compared to other ways of re-establishing teeth, but good dental hygiene is still pertinent for longevity. The following are a few simple ways to maintain your dental implants:
- Brush with a soft-bristle toothbrush and (fluoride-free) toothpaste twice a day.
- Floss daily to remove plaque that accumulates between implants and gums until the first visit after surgery.
- Schedule appointments for dental scaling and dental cleaning visits.
- Avoid chewing on things that are hard (e.g., ice, pens, etc.).
- Quit smoking to improve long-term success.
If properly maintained, dental implants can be strong and beautiful for many years.
Why Choose Dental Implants Over Other Options?
While bridges or dentures may also restore missing teeth, dental implants are typically the best option for comfort, longevity, and health benefits for you. Bridges leave you dependent on adjacent teeth; with a bridge, you may need to shape the teeth to support the retainer.
In contrast, dentures are not fixed to your mouth and may slip into an uncomfortable position. Implants function independently of other teeth and ultimately fuse into your jawbone, making dental implants the most naturally born tooth restorative and permanent tooth option available.
Keele Crosstown Dental—Bring Back the Smile You Want!
If you aim to restore your smile with a natural, long-term alternative to a tooth, dental implants do that. Keele Crosstown Dental is devoted to providing individualized and comfortable dental treatment for each patient. Our dental team has trained experience and restorative equipment that assists with precision, comfort, and protective dental care and aim for every patient to be in an optimal health state.
Whether you are looking for one implant or multiple, we look to support you in creating a treatment plan that is within your desired/budget for treatment objectives and your required day-to-day living.
If you would like to get more information or get started on that process, we welcome you to contact Keele Crosstown Dental for a consultation and start your journey towards optimum oral health.
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