Are you missing one or more teeth? Do you dread the idea of a partial denture or a bridge? Do you wish you could, smile eat and live with the confidence and pleasure you felt before you lost a tooth? Now you can! The doctors here at Modesto Smiles can help patients in Modest CA get back to smiling with the comfort and convenience of dental implants.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants consist of several parts – a tiny titanium screw and an artificial replacement tooth. The titanium screw is surgically placed into your jawbone where it will integrate with the bone and act as a strong and stable foundation for your replacement tooth. Once the implant post is healed, a beautiful new tooth will be placed. The implant post and replacement tooth work together to essentially give you a brand new tooth that feels and functions just like the tooth you lost.
Who is a Candidate for Dental Implants?
If you are missing one or more teeth, you may be a candidate for dental implants. Dental technology is making it possible for almost anyone to receive implants – even those who were not eligible in the past. When bone loss is significant, bone grafting can sometimes be used to supplement the bone mass and allow implants to anchor firmly.
Dental implants are ideal for patients of almost any age, not only those who have lost teeth because of age. Anyone can lose a tooth because of gum disease, tooth decay, injury or trauma to the mouth or wear and tear. Some people are even born with future missing teeth because of congenital defects. Any of these issues can be resolved using dental implants.
Why Would I want a Dental Implant?
Missing teeth not only look unattractive, they can have serious effects on your bite leading to TMJ, headaches, tooth shifting and chewing dysfunction. Properly placed implants balance your bite and allow your teeth, jaw and muscles to function properly. Implants also preserve your jawbone by fusing to the bone and providing stability just as your natural tooth root did, while dentures and partials have often been shown to contribute to loss of bone.
If you are missing a significant amount of teeth, dental implants can be used to hold implant-supported dentures for superior fit and comfort without the need for adhesives and without fear of slipping or loss.
Best of all, dental implants last. Studies show that the majority of dental implants placed in the United States still function as they should after 20 years!