What Are Dental Implants?

You may have been wondering what your options are to permanently fill the gaps left by your missing or damaged teeth. Luckily, dental implants are a superior and permanent tooth replacement option. With a surgical component attached directly to the jawbone, this small titanium piece becomes the strong foundation for a middle piece, and an artificial tooth called a crown. Here is some more detail about what dental implants are, what they are made of, and how they differ from real teeth.

How Are Dental Implants Different From Real Teeth?

Natural teeth and dental implants may look the same, feel the same, and function in much the same way. However, there are some differences. The most important of these differences is the way dental implants attach to the jawbone and how oral disease impacts them. Here is some further detail:

• Teeth attach to the jawbone with small ligaments that are made up of tiny collagen fibers. These fibers connect the tooth to the bone. Alternatively, dental implants connect directly to the bone without collagen fibers.
• Gum tissues also attach to the root of your teeth with similar collagen fibers. However, gum tissues can only stick to the surface of dental implants and collagen fibers are not present.
• Natural teeth are susceptible to decay and sometimes need root canal therapy. On the other hand, dental implants are metal and do not decay or need root canal therapy.
• Natural teeth may also be susceptible to gum disease, but dental implants are not. Your implants may be susceptible to peri-implantitis. This is an inflammatory response to bacteria on tissues surrounding the implant. If left untreated, this problem can result in disintegration of the bone that connects to the implant.

Dental Implant Basics

Dental implants are made up of three simple parts:

1) Fixture (the root)
2) Abutment (middle piece)
3) Crown (prosthetic tooth)

Here is how each of the basic parts works:

• The dental implant fixture is a titanium piece that is inserted directly into the patient’s jawbone. During the healing process, new bone tissues grow into and fuse with the fixture in a process called osseointegration. When it is completely healed, the implant fixture becomes the strong and permanent foundation for your beautiful new dental implants.
• The abutment is the middle piece of the dental implant between the new replacement tooth and the bottom piece of the implant. This piece helps ensure that the replacement tooth is comfortable and functional.
• The crown is the last part of the implant to be attached and is important because it is specially crafted to look and function exactly like your other teeth. This part of the tooth is the part that most people will see and that you will chew with.

What Are Dental Implants Made Of?

The root of your dental implants is usually made of titanium, which is lightweight, strong, and biocompatible. This means that your new replacement teeth will not be easily rejected by your body. Titanium and titanium alloys are the most widely used metals in dental implants. The part of the implant that sits above the gum tissue is usually made of porcelain or similar materials. This ensures that the chewing surface will be strong and the look will perfectly match your real teeth.

Dental Implant Risks

The success rate is very high for dental implants, but it is important to know that there still are risks. However, most of these risks can be avoided by following doctor’s orders and not putting undue pressure on the implant area. Patients must be very careful to let the implant site heal properly, avoid alcohol, and curtail smoking habits. Alcohol and smoking prevent proper healing in the bone and gum tissues. In rare instances, patients can suffer from excessive bleeding or nerve injury, infection, or failure of the tissues to osseointegrate after their surgical procedure. It is important to note that these issues can usually be fixed if they are caught and reported immediately upon noticing any sign of problems.

Come See Dr. Alwazzan For Your Dental Implant Consultation Today

If you live in the Weston, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Newton, Wellesley, Wayland, Natick, and Sudbury areas, and want to know more about the dental implants process or how to finance your new smile, please read through the rest of our helpful infosite. Then call us for a no-obligation consultation today. We can’t wait to help you get a beautiful and functional smile now with dental implants from Weston Dental Specialists!