Missing teeth or spaces in your mouth can occur due to injury, tooth decay, periodontal disease, or adult teeth that never grow in. Dental implants can help replace missing teeth and look and feel like natural teeth. A dental implant is an artificial tooth root. Once an implant is placed in the jaw, the bone fuses with the implant and provides a base for a prosthesis (artificial tooth). An implant can be used to replace one tooth, several teeth, or even support a partial or complete denture.

Your dentist will send you to a specialist either a periodontist or an oral surgeon who will evaluate the amount of bone present in the space and determine if you are a candidate for implants. It is important to have healthy gums before an implant is placed so that there is enough firm tissue to surround an implant and give a good esthetic result. If you have a medical condition such as diabetes it needs to be controlled before treatment begins. Otherwise, the success of the implant can be compromised.

Following implant placement by the specialist, it will take several months before the prosthetic teeth can be attached to the implant by your general dentist. To make your implants last you should avoid chewing on hard things such as ice, control health problems such as diabetes and periodontal disease, stop smoking, and visit your dentist for regular cleanings.

Untreated Missing Teeth

• unattractive smile
• loss of chewing ability
• accelerated bone loss

Dental Implants with a Crown

• full chewing ability
• preserve healthy teeth
• stop bone loss