What is a Dental Implant?
If you need to have a tooth removed or lost your teeth from aging or an accident, getting dental implants is a great permanent solution to replace your missing teeth.
A dental implant is a metal post or frame that is surgically placed into the jawbone under your gums to replace the root of the natural tooth. The Thornhill dentist then puts a replacement tooth onto the post or frame.
Only a tooth implant can restore your facial structure and stop the aging process.
Benefits of a Dental Implant
These are the advantages of dental implants compared to dentures and bridges:
Designed to last
Dental implants can last decades if they are properly cared for. It may be more investment up front, but it is often cheaper over the long term. Dental bridges and dentures may need to be replaced every 5 to 10 years which can be much more expensive. Doing these procedures also takes a lot of your time coming to appointments and recovering.
Look and feel great
A dental implant is designed to look, feel and function like natural teeth. They integrate well in your mouth and are so comfortable that you will forget that they are artificial replacements. You can brush and floss dental implants just like your other natural teeth and you don’t have to remove them for cleaning. A tooth implant will also help you maintain your natural face shape and smile.
Live normally and with confidence
A tooth implant is so secure, it won’t slip or click while you talk, eat or laugh. It allows you to live your life normally and connect with the people you love confidently. You don’t have to feel self-conscious about how you sound when you talk or look when you have missing teeth.
Protect your facial bone and healthy teeth
Empty spaces in your mouth after losing one more teeth can result in the deterioration of your jawbone. Dental implants are the only tooth replacement option that helps stimulate bone growth and prevent bone loss. A dental implant also doesn’t require grinding down the adjacent teeth to anchor bridges or attach partial dentures.
Who Can get a Tooth Implant?
People need to meet certain requirements before they can qualify to receive dental implants. These are the factors in a candidate that can make the procedure successful:
Adequate bone support
Because the tooth implant fuses with the jawbone, it’s important that there is enough bone quantity and quality. This is one of the most important requirements of dental implant success.
Good overall health
because putting in dental implants is a surgical procedure, it is important that you are in good health. Patients who Are heavy smokers or drink excessively or have poorly controlled diabetes may experience prolong healing. These patients still may have implants but the success rate may be lower.
Healthy Gums
These are necessary to provide enough support for the new tooth implant as it fuses with the jawbone. People who have a high risk of gum disease often experience dental implant failure.
Consistent oral health habits
A dental implant requires excellent dental hygiene including daily flossing, brushing and regular visits to the dentist. These habits are also necessary to preserve the health of your natural teeth.
No teeth clenching
It is also important to talk to your dentist if you have a problem with teeth clenching. This can decrease the success rate of a dental implant.
What happens if I don’t replace my lost teeth?
It is important to contact our office as soon as you have lost a tooth or teeth. These situations can happen if you don’t get a tooth implant:
- When there is a gap in your teeth, the adjacent teeth may drift to the empty space causing food trapping and possible decay
- It can be hard to chew
- You could lose your facial structure because of bone absorption and result in a poor appearance
- It can be harder to speak, especially if your front teeth are missing.
Contact Us
Contact us at 905-771-8100 if you have any questions about dental implants or want to make an appointment