The Secret for Replacing Missing Teeth: Dental Implants
No one wants to have a big empty space in their smile left behind by a tooth that fell out. Things look even worse if you have got several teeth missing. Do you really want to show people that you are missing teeth? Besides, missing teeth can make it harder for you to eat the foods you love and increase your risk of bone loss and gum disease. That is why our experienced dentist, Dr. Steven Airey, has a long-lasting solution: dental implants.
How Can I Replace a Missing Tooth?
There are a few ways to replace your missing tooth, but a dental implant is usually the most permanent. This device has three parts: a titanium root, an abutment and a replacement tooth.
Because your natural teeth have roots that go down into the jawbone, a dental implant uses an artificial root to do the same. It is made from titanium because your body does not reject that type of metal.
The replacement tooth is custom-made for where the gap is in your smile, meaning it will look and feel completely natural once placed. It will even be matched to the color of your adjacent teeth.
An abutment is a small piece that connects the titanium root to your replacement tooth. This way, if the replacement tooth needs to be taken out for some reason, the root can stay where Dr. Airey implanted it.
Dental implants are as close as you can get to growing your tooth back.
How Does a Dental Implant Placement Work?
The procedure is straightforward, and Dr. Airey has done it many times. First, our team will get the area clean and prepared. Then, Dr. Airey will make a small opening in your gum and jawbone where the implant will go. The titanium root is placed tightly in the bone and given a few months to heal.
While that is healing, we will have a replacement tooth made that will fit that spot. When the implant site is healed, Dr. Airey will place the abutment on the implant and then the replacement tooth to the abutment.
How Can You Be Sure I am a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
In order to safely implant that titanium root, we need to make sure your jawbone is thick and healthy enough to hold it. If the bone there is weak, placing the implant could fracture your jawbone or fail altogether. That is why we have the revolutionary Galileos® three-dimensional imaging unit. This device will create a 3D image of your jaw and teeth, letting Dr. Airey know whether you are a good candidate for a dental implant.
What Are Mini Dental Implants?
If the Galileos imaging unit shows it is not safe to place a dental implant, we can sometimes use mini dental implants instead. These still have a titanium root and custom-made replacement tooth, but they are much smaller. A mini implant is great if you need to replace a thinner tooth like an incisor. Not every tooth can be replaced with mini dental implants, so Dr. Airey will discuss your options with you.
Can Implants Help Dentures Stay Put?
If you have several teeth to replace, or even all the teeth on the top or bottom, Appalachian Dental Care has you covered with dentures.
- Partial dentures replace several teeth in a row. But you need some natural teeth still there, as the denture uses clasps attached to those teeth to hold it in place.
- Full dentures replace a full arch of teeth on the top or bottom (or both). They are molded to fit over your gums and use a special adhesive to stay put.
- Implant-supported and implant-retained dentures use dental implants to make sure the dentures stay where they belong.
- All-on-4® dental implants also use implants to hold onto a full arch of replacement teeth, but two implants are angled differently to provide more support.
- And for those who are looking to restore their smile quickly, our same-day smile treatment can transform your smile in a single visit.
We want you to have a healthy smile that lets you eat normally again, which is why we offer different options to replace missing teeth. But if you want a beautiful, long-lasting way to do that, dental implants could be your best bet. To learn more about our dental implants or to schedule your next appointment, give us a call today at 828-264-9938 or use our online form.
