Dental Implants

Why is it important to replace missing teeth?

A gap in your smile can certainly make it hard to feel confident in work or social settings, but there are even more important reasons to replace one or more missing teeth. Your teeth work together to create a supported upper or lower arch. 

When one or more teeth are missing, the adjacent teeth can begin to shift out of position, weakening the connection between teeth and bone. This can cause the remaining natural teeth to loosen and eventually fall out. 

There’s also the matter of bone health to consider. Each of your natural teeth is anchored directly within the underlying bone. When you bite and chew, you stimulate that bone, keeping it healthy and strong. Losing a tooth means losing that stimulation, and the bone tissue below can begin to wear away, weakening the anchoring of adjacent teeth and increasing the risk of loss. 

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are a permanent tooth replacement option. Because implants are anchored directly into your bone tissue, they preserve bone health. 

Individual dental implants consist of an implanted post that acts as an artificial tooth root and a crown that replaces the visible portion of a missing tooth. Some implant systems use a small piece called an abutment to connect the post and crown. 

If you need to replace an entire upper or lower span of teeth, systems like All-on-4® secure an entire arch of crowns using just four implanted posts for the upper or lower arch. These systems place the implanted posts at an angle to create the most secure foundation possible. 

What is the process for getting dental implants?

The planning stage is a critical part of getting dental implants. Advanced imaging provides the data needed to create a customized treatment plan, including the precise placement angle for your post. 

On the day of your procedure, you’ll receive an anesthetic injection to ensure you remain comfortable throughout the process. Your dentist makes an incision in your gum tissue to access the underlying bone. Then, your dentist drills a small pilot hole to guide the positioning of the post. 

Once the post is securely in place, your dentist closes the gum tissue around the post, and the healing begins. Once your new crown is ready, and your bone tissue has fused to the implanted post, you’ll return to have the crown installed, which completes the implant process.

Learn more about dental implant options during a personalized consultation at Triple S Dental, which you can book online or over the phone today.