Whether you have lost a tooth (or several) as the result of an injury or periodontal disease, missing teeth can be both embarrassing and inconvenient. Dental implants provide a foundation for replacement teeth that look, feel and function like natural teeth.
If you are missing teeth and your gums and jaw are healthy, you may benefit from dental implants. Composed of titanium metal that “fuses” with the jawbone through a process called osseointegration, implants are surgically placed into the jawbone then topped with natural white crowns. Two or more implants can easily serve as a base of support for several replacement teeth.
Because the dental implant fuses with the jawbone, the procedure actually helps prevent gum and bone deterioration, jawbone recession, and facial collapse. Better yet, dental implants can last for 20 years or more with proper oral hygiene.
Though implants cost more upfront and may not be covered by insurance, patients avoid the cost of possibly having to replace a prothetic device like dentures or a bridge once, twice or more over the course of a lifetime. In addition, patients may avoid both the pain and cost of future dental work on adjacent teeth. Studies show a failure rate of up to 30% in teeth located next to a fixed bridge or removable partial denture within five to seven years of treatment.
With nearly 50 years of clinical research an overall success rate around 98%, dental implants are frequently the best treatment option for replacing missing teeth. They are changing the way people live by helping them rediscover the comfort and confidence to eat, speak, laugh and enjoy life.
