How Do Dental Implants Work?

Dental implants are considered to be the best long-term solution for missing teeth. Though dental bridges are a cheaper alternative, over time a dental implant is more cost-effective, as it can last decades. A patient can treat an implant as they would their real teeth, remembering that brushing and flossing is just as important! Dental implants look, feel and function like real teeth.

A dental implant, usually made of titanium, takes the place of a missing tooth’s original root, connecting to the bone. They help to maintain the jaw bone’s shape and density. It can take two to six months for the bone to fuse around the implant. Once healing is complete, an abutment is attached to it. This is the device that joins the implant to a crown, which replaces the actual missing tooth.

Crowns are custom-made at a dental laboratory, like Iverson, to match your existing teeth. The crown is cemented or screwed onto the abutment to permanently keep it in place. Once the dental implant procedure is complete, the crown should be indistinguishable from the rest of your teeth.

For fixed multiple tooth replacement, custom-made crowns or bridgework can be attached to the abutments to replace missing teeth without disturbing the healthy teeth next to them, and while stopping bone loss in the jaw and maintaining facial features.

If you are missing all of either your lower or upper teeth (or just all of your teeth), there’s also the option of getting a removable implant-supported tooth replacement. Two to six implants may be used to support a lower denture, depending on the design of the removable replacement. On the other hand, a minimum of four implants are required to support an upper denture. Removable dentures are usually used to replace extensive tooth, bone, and gum-tissue loss, providing support for the facial skeleton, lips, and cheeks. An advantage of a removable denture is making the cleaning of the dental implants significantly easier.

Over time, dental implants have become much more efficient and affordable. They’re very widely used, as roughly 70% of adults in America are missing at least one tooth. If you think you may be a good candidate for dental implants, speak to an experienced dentist to review your options. If you don’t have enough existing bone in your jaw or you’ve had radiation to your jaw, possibly for treating cancer or something similar, dental implants may not be the best option for you. Also, if you’re a smoker, your dentist will probably ask you to quit, as smoking can increase infection and rejection risks for dental implants.