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Dental Implants
What is an implant?
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots used to support a restoration for a missing
tooth or teeth, helping to stop or prevent jaw bone loss. By replacing missing tooth roots,
dental implants provide people with the strength and stability required to eat all the foods
they love without struggling to chew. Additionally, dental implants stimulate and maintain
jaw bone, preventing bone loss and helping to maintain facial features. In many cases, a
dental implant is the wisest choice to improve your dental health. If you are looking for
a more effective and less destructive way of replacing a missing tooth, a dental implant
may produce the best overall result.
Who is a candidate for an implant?
In general, anyone missing at least one tooth and healthy enough to undergo routine dental
treatment, including tooth extraction, is probably able to undergo dental implant treatment.
There are some medical conditions that warrant special consideration before placing dental
implants, including certain chronic diseases, heavy smoking or alcohol abuse.
If you already wear dentures but are psychologically uncomfortable with them (e.g. you lack
confidence due to the appearance or poor fit of your false teeth) or find them physically
difficult (e.g. you cannot taste food properly due to the dentures), you should consider
implants. You are never too old to get dental implants.
What are the benefits of dental implants?
As we get older, dentures and removable bridges can become loose and unstable, whereas
implants natural looking and very functional. Dental implants provide improved appearance,
improved speech, comfort, easier eating, improved oral health, durability and convenience as
compared to traditional removable bridges. In addition, they offer the same force for biting
as bridges that are fixed in place. Implants do normally last for the lifetime.
What are the implants made of?
Most dental implants are made of titanium. A traditional dental crown, a traditional partial
denture or a full denture are made or restored on top of the titanium implant.
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