There’s no substitute for healthy and natural teeth. It’s the system designed by nature for starting the digestion process with efficient biting and chewing. Your teeth are also an essential part of speech, working with your larynx and tongue to make the sounds that are uniquely you. However, things happen, and sometimes teeth are lost, whether to injury, decay, or disease.

Having a missing tooth can really knock your confidence. But Artificial teeth replacements have been largely temporary and removable solutions. Replacements clipped around remaining teeth or, in the case of losing all of your teeth, full denture plates that sit over your gums with varying levels of success. These frequently slip or trap food, as well as require special care, including the nightly soak in a container of solution.

There are a few different solutions for filling gaps in your teeth, dental implants offer the peace of mind of a permanent and secure solution. It’s no surprise that the best solution for tooth loss emulates the natural construction of your teeth. Dental implants are the only tooth replacement method that interacts with the bones of your jaws, similar to the roots of your natural teeth.

What exactly is a Dental implant?

If you think of the shape of your natural teeth, you likely know that roughly half the tooth is visible above the gum line, while the other half, the root, is embedded in the bone of your jaw. This interaction between tooth and bone keeps your mouth healthy. With tooth loss, it’s possible for the bone of your jaw to deteriorate around the point of the lost root.

There are two general types of dental implants, and both works with your bones in a process called osseointegration. The most common implant type uses a  titanium screw that gets inserted into the jawbone in place of a missing tooth. A small post is attached to this screw and a natural-looking crown is then fixed to the post. This in effect, replaces both the look and function of the missing tooth. Because of the biocompatible natures of titanium, the screw stays secure in the jawbone.

For some patients, implanting a screw isn’t possible due to lack of bone mass. For this person, the other type of implant uses a mesh that wraps over the jaw bone, which then grows over the implant. Posts attached to the mesh then serve as the attachment point for the tooth restoration.
Multiple Teeth Rehabilitation

If you are missing several teeth, you may have more than one restoration mounted on a single implant post. Multiple Teeth Rehabilitation is done for long stretches of missing teeth may require two implants, one at each end, with a bridge of restorations between them. These are typically permanent installations that look and function as close to natural teeth as possible.

Full Mouth Rehabilitation -Implant Dentures

Implants can also serve as the foundation for dentures. Instead of simply fitting over your gums, implant dentures use the implanted posts as clipping points, creating a positive lock while your plates are in your mouth. Your dentures snap onto the posts. Gone are the problems of slipping while you eat or talk. The top plate no longer needs to cover your entire palette, so there’s no need for adhesives. This capability with dentures adds to the versatility of dental implant systems.

If you’re missing teeth and currently have an empty space or use a removable bridge or plate, dental implants may be a better solution. You can learn more about dental implants and implant dentures on Global Dental Centre website, or ask Dr Anurag Bhargava about implants at your next visit.