More and more patients are choosing dental implants to treat premature tooth loss, and, when you take a look at the way dental implants are designed, it’s easy to see why. Today our Elmhurst dental implant dentists are here to give you some more information about how these replacement teeth are put together, and how you can get started restoring your smile
The main thing to know about dental implant replacement teeth is that these teeth are actually anchored in the patient’s jawbone. While bridges and dentures, for example, are designed to sit on top of the gum tissue, dental implants are embedded in the smile, and they stay in place permanently.
The base of the dental implant replacement tooth is a titanium screw or post. This piece replaces the natural tooth root, which has been lost.
The interesting thing about titanium is that it is actually able to bond with natural bone tissue, through a process called osseointegration. What does this mean for you? It means that, over time, the root of your replacement tooth will actually build a stable connection with your jawbone. As you would imagine, this helps to ensure a secure fit, and it helps to support the health and stability of your natural bone tissue.
Once the titanium root is in place, our team will cap it with a customized dental restoration (which is designed to look like your natural tooth), as well as a connector piece called an abutment. The abutment is necessary so that there is some flexibility between the root and crown—if the two pieces were rigidly attached to one another they would be at risk of snapping or fracturing when you bite or chew.
Every aspect of the dental implant crown will be personalized to suit your needs. This means that the shape, size, and color of the restoration will blend with your existing smile. The aesthetic results are truly quite remarkable.
If you are struggling with tooth loss, our Elmhurst dental implant dentists are here to help you in any way we can. Please give us a call to learn more about all of your tooth replacement options, and to schedule a consultation with our team.