Dental Implants: The best solution for missing teeth

Losing something as permanent as a tooth can impact your everyday life. Missing teeth make a difference in your smile, the way you eat and for some, how you speak. Finding a solution to missing teeth is important as gaps in your bite can impact your self-esteem and confidence in both personal and professional interactions. It’s important to understand the negative impact a single missing tooth can have on your everyday life and then determine the best replacement solution.

If you have one or more missing teeth, dental implants offer anaffordable option for missing teeth when investing in your long-term oral health. If you simply want to replace a tooth, your dentist has multiple options to do just that. If you want to restore function and improve oral health all in one, you will want to find out more about implant dentistry.

When deciding if dental implants are the right solution for your tooth loss, here are a few things you should consider:

The benefits are numerous.  Using a dental implant to take the place of a missing tooth or teeth can improve the aesthetics of your smile, restore function to your bite, and strengthen the underlying bone to prevent early facial aging.

Dental implants are implanted.  The term implant refers to non-removable, surgically placed posts become permanent fixtures in your dentition through the process of osseointegration. During this process, the implant post fuses with the bone in your jaw, stabilize your prosthetic tooth or teeth. 

Versatile Application.  Crowns, bridges and dentures are used to cover dental implant posts and complete a patient’s smile.  Bridges are used to replace one or more teeth by using neighboring teeth for support, while a crown is a fixed placement over one implant. Dentures could be full or partial depending on how many teeth need replacing and your desired outcome. Your dentist will help you decide the best option for your smile upon examination.

Dental Implants Use Cutting-Edge Technology: For improved patient recovery, oral surgery utilizes the latest in computer-assisted medical technology to ensure your dental implants are bright, look natural, and fit seamlessly with your natural teeth.

Results that Last a Lifetime: Dental implants are specifically designed to be a long lasting solution to tooth loss. When maintained correctly through effective oral hygiene and regular visits to your dentist, dental implants can last much longer than other tooth repair solutions.

Great Medical and Dental Insurance Coverage Means More Accessibility:  Thanks to the the number benefits and longevity offered by dental implants, some insurance providers are expanding their coverage to include these procedures. Look for patient specials that help make dental procedures more affordable.

Patients Must Be Eligible for Dental Implants:  To place dental implants, patients must have strong gum health and strength in their jaws to support and sustain the replacement. Talk to your dentist to learn more about the qualifications to receive dental implants.

Thanks to the continued advancement in both dental technique and equipment, rejuvenating long-term oral health is only a dental visit away. If you would like to know about dental implants and how this tooth restoration can improve your smile and dental function, contact South Bay Dentistry & Orthodontics of Gardena to schedule your consultation today. 

Osseointegration: How it Works

Of the options that exist for replacing missing teeth, dental implants are known for their durability and the benefits they provide for oral health. Dental implants are a great option for tooth replacement due to a process called osseointegration.

What is Osseointegration?

For dental implants to support new teeth properly, they must mimic the way natural roots of teeth are secured within the jawbone. The process by which implants integrate into the bone is called osseointegration.  An implant is integrated when it bonds directly to the bone, and is held securely.

Bone is a living tissue that's constantly being reworked and remodeled by cells. It's this process of remodeling that allows broken bones to knit together, and it's a key process in the integration of dental implants too. Implants are made from titanium, a biocompatible metal that bonds with bone tissue over a period of several weeks or months.

Osseointegration and Oral Health

Dental implants’ ability to integrate into bone tissue means that implants provide many advantages over other options for tooth replacement.

One of the most important long-term benefits of implant dentistry is that the process of integration helps improve and maintain density of the jawbone. This is particularly important because the constant pressure that the act of chewing puts on the jawbone is vital to maintaining density of bone. When teeth are missing, the required pressure isn't there, which causes a loss of bone density over time. This is why missing teeth will eventually lead to alterations in facial structure and signs of early aging. Dental implants are the only tooth replacement option that stimulates jawbone in the same way as natural teeth do.

Osseointegration also gives rise to a second major benefit. Other kinds of tooth replacement options—such as bridges and dentures—affect adjacent teeth, which can weaken them over time and can promote damage and decay, and may lead to further tooth loss. Implants mimic natural tooth stimulation and function and as a result, people who get dental implants are far less likely to experience bone loss and changes in facial structure.

Thanks to the process of osseointegration, dental implants are the best option for replacing natural teeth, and constitute a dental treatment that provides long-lasting benefits to oral health.

Please contact South Bay Dental for more information on cosmetic solutions. Schedule an appointment today!