Tooth loss isn’t just unsightly. It’s embarrassing, painful, and debilitating.
But thanks to modern advances in dental implant technology, you don’t have to live with the consequences of missing teeth forever.
Dental implants are the ultimate solution to tooth loss. In fact, they’re considered the gold statement in tooth replacement.
Unlike poor Georgie Washington, who had to wear dentures made of ivory, lead, and even horse teeth, you can reconstruct your smile with attractive implants that look and feel as natural as real teeth.
Here’s what you need to know to get started on your journey to a healthier smile with dental implants.
A dental implant is an artificial tooth that looks exactly like (or even better than!) your real tooth. It’s made of three individual pieces that fit together to replace your missing tooth: the screw, abutment, and crown.
The implant itself is a titanium screw placed deep into your gum tissue. Over the span of a few months, this screw fuses permanently with your jawbone to replace missing tooth roots. This creates a sturdy base that supports the other parts of the implant.
Once the titanium screw has enough time to fuse with the jawbone, an abutment is placed on the screw. This abutment serves as the connector between the screw and the custom-made crown. The crown is the part of the dental implant that you can see and feel in your mouth. It looks and functions exactly like a real tooth.
Best of all, dental implants can be adapted to almost any tooth loss situation. They can be used to replace one individual tooth, a few teeth, or your entire mouth if necessary! By working with your dental implant specialist to evaluate the best solution for your oral needs, you can determine the best implant arrangement.
More than 3 million people in the U.S have achieved total mouth reconstruction using dental implants. With the help of a dental implant expert like Dr. Lozano, you can become a part of the long list of people who thank dental implants for their brand new smiles.
Implants instantly set themselves apart from other restorative dental options because they can last the rest of your life. This can’t be said for most other tooth replacement solutions such as bridges, dentures, and veneers, which must be replaced every 10-15.
Dental implants fuse into your jawbone, allowing them to remain in-tact without the need for replacement. The titanium implants fuse with your jawbone to create a permanent base, and the durable crowns can endure any normal eating, talking, and biting activity.
Dental implants mimic the appearance and function of real teeth with such accuracy that you might forget they’re not real! In addition to reclaiming an attractive, confident smile, you’ll once again be able to chew and talk without difficulty or hesitation. You’ll look and feel like a younger version of yourself with dental implants.
Most patients don’t realize that dental implants improve more than their smile and ability to eat steak. Dental implants also make it possible to protect your jawbones from sinking and dropping inward.
When teeth fall out, your jawbone no longer receives the stimulation it needs to remain strong. Over time, an unstimulated jawbone becomes too weak and damaged to maintain the healthy structure of your cheeks and jaw.
This causes the face to sink inward and “collapse”. Implants prevent this problem from occurring by keeping your jawbone strong and durable.
You might forget what it feels like to smile with pride instead of fear. Completing dental reconstruction with implants will help you rediscover a sense of confidence you thought you had lost forever. You’ll be able to smile without hesitation, choose your favorite foods without any difficulty, and show off a truly beautiful smile.
Identifying the benefits of dental implants is the first step. Now it’s time to make sure you meet the qualifications of a good dental implant candidate.
Dental implants require the placement of titanium screws into your gums, so the health of your gum tissue and jawbone may influence your ability to successfully undergo an implant procedure.
Check to confirm you meet these minimum qualifications and talk to your dentist about any concerns you have:
If you don’t meet the parameters outlined above, you may need additional dental work and healthcare before your dentist can initiate the implant process.
This is why the dental implant procedure is often a team effort between you, your dentist, and your doctors. The healthier your mouth and body are before your implant procedure, the better the outcome!
Dental implants offer a cutting edge solution to tooth loss, but it’s not the right choice for all patients. You may not have the time and resources to undergo such a complex procedure, or your gum tissue may not be healthy enough to support implants. Whatever the reason, these dental implant alternatives can still restore your smile and help you live life to the fullest.
Dentures can be used to replace single teeth or the entire top or bottom row of your mouth. This type of dental device is made of a plastic base that replicates gum tissue and supports a full set of natural-looking teeth. Dentures are designed to stay in place by forming a seal with the gums.
When you receive dentures, you start with a temporary set used during the healing process after all remaining dead and damaged teeth have been extracted. This helps you maintain a normal smile while your gum tissue recovers from surgery. After 8 to 12 weeks, your set of permanent dentures can be inserted.
Implant-supported dentures offer a middle ground for patients who want a solution more advanced than standard dentures but not quite as complex as full implants. They are normal dentures attached to at least two implants installed in the jawbone itself. This is a viable option if you have enough bone to support implants and prefer to secure your dentures with the help of such implants.
Not every dentist offers dental implant restoration. You need to find a specialist who knows exactly how to perform the dental implant procedure to give you the best results possible.
At RB Dental Excellence in San Diego, Dr. Robert Lozano, DDS specializes in implant dentistry. He combines his expertise with state-of-the-art technology to help his patients restore their confident smiles. Contact RB Dental Excellence today to schedule your consultation and begin your journey to a healthier, happier mouth.
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