Why dental implants?
Dental implants are widely considered to be the most successful method of tooth replacement used today, because they provide patients with a number of benefits over other solutions.
What is a dental implant?
A dental implant functions as the root of a new tooth. Made out of titanium, only a few millimeters long, and carefully engineered, this small screw is placed in your jawbone by your dental provider and serves as the foundation for your new tooth. Advances in biomaterials and computerized production can provide you with an individually customized high strength restoration designed to provide long term function and fulfill your appearance expectations.
Healthy natural-looking smile
Modern dental restorations, supported by dental implants, look, feel, and function like your natural teeth. Their color, shape, and contour are made to match that of your natural teeth as closely as possible.
Healthy remaining teeth
Diagram of a jaw with a dental implant.Dental implants do not sacrifice neighboring teeth to provide support like alternative treatments can. A dental implant can also lessen the loads to your remaining natural teeth while chewing by replacing structural support for your biting forces. By replacing the root structure of a missing tooth you are also replacing support for your bite that has been distributed to your other teeth. Previous bridge solutions replaced the top of a tooth but depended on your remaining teeth to provide the increased support necessary.
Stable comfortable fit
Dental implants are fixed in your jawbone, providing a comfortable and stable foundation for your restoration. Moreover, they are made of biocompatible materials and your body tolerates them easily.
Long-lasting proven solution
Implant solutions are very durable. With proper care and good oral hygiene, they will last many years, or even a lifetime. The first patient was treated with modern dental implants in 1965. When the patient died in 2006, the implants had worked without problems as the foundation for a series of oral prostheses for 40 years. Since then, millions of implants have been placed successfully all over the world. See dental implant history for more information.