If you have any missing teeth, you will know that they can be replaced with dentures or a bridge. You may already have one of those in place. But you might want to consider a dental implant instead. Why?
If a tooth is missing, its root is missing also. So there are two gaps, one visible and one invisible. Bridges and dentures can fill the visible gap, but not the invisible root gap. The beauty of having a dental implant is that it can fill the root gap in the jawbone, and also the tooth gap, by anchoring a replacement tooth. This allows you avoid the negative consequences of leaving that gap in the jawbone.
That gap will be filled, but not in a positive way. Just as the neighboring teeth will move from their correct positions to fill the tooth gap; so the jawbone will shrink inwards to fill the root gap. This is known as bone resorption. It will change the appearance of your jawline and facial profile, giving you an older look which you probably don't want to have.
Most cosmetic dentists offer implant dentistry. Most also give patient education a high priority and are willing to explain how things work and answer your questions. If you go ahead with a procedure without fully understanding it, things may not tend to go as well. It's better if you feel well-informed on the purpose, nature, and likely outcome of the procedure. If you're relaxed and confident about having it, you will probably feel more of a sense of accomplishment and progress afterwards.
Three types of dental implant
The three types are devised to meet the needs of varying jawbone conditions. They are:
- The root form implant - which is a small titanium cylinder
- The plate form implant - which is a narrow shape designed for a more narrow jawbone
- Subperiosteal implants - which is are customized shapes and placed on the bone rather than inside it. This is for people whose jawbone has insufficient width, height, and density to hold an implant.
The one most often used is the root form implant, as it has demonstrated the best results over the last decade or so.
The procedure
There are three steps to establish both the implant and the tooth it will hold.
- The implant is placed in the jawbone. Several months are allowed to pass before the next step, to allow the bone tissue to grow closely around the implant, and incorporate it. This will make the implant very sturdy as your new tooth root.
- In a small dental surgery, a small piece is added to the top of the implant, called an abutment. It is partly below the gum tissue and partly above it. It will hold the new tooth. Recovery from this step is only a couple of weeks, while the gums heal around the abutment.
- The replacement tooth is attached to the abutment. It is a porcelain tooth that will match your other teeth in its shade of white, and will have the same pleasing shine to it.
The two gaps left by the missing tooth are now filled, and your smile is rejuvenated. Each year more people discover the exciting array of procedures offered by cosmetic dentists, and more are having dental implants.
