[header type=”h1″]The Anatomy of the Dental Implant[/header]
Tooth loss is a dental health problem that affects the majority of Americans. In fact, over one in two people are missing at least one tooth. While missing teeth can lead to various oral health issues, there are a number of solutions that can help safeguard your wellbeing. Of these options, dental implants are the superior choice. Other restorative treatments, such as dental bridges and removable dentures, simply can’t match implants in terms of longevity, robustness, and stability. By permanently and organically integrating with your oral anatomy, dental implants are a lifetime solution that can help to restore the brilliance to your smile.
The Dental Implant System
It’s common to think of a dental implant as a replacement tooth, but this isn’t quite accurate. Rather, tooth implants can be thought of as a system made of three main components: the fixture, the abutment, and the crown. Each of these parts plays a specific role and together they make for a tooth loss treatment considered by doctors and patients alike as the current standard of dental care.
Since this is the first part of the implant system placed during the procedure, we’ll start with the implant fixture. This is a small biocompatible, titanium-alloy insert that is placed directly into the jawbone to provide lifelong support for the replacement teeth. After the fixture is installed, the jaw begins to produce newly generated bone tissue which wraps around and through the fixture to hold it tightly into place. This biological fusing process is known as osseointegration, which we’ll explain more about when we go over the dental implants process.
After the fixture is completely integrated with the jawbone, we can go ahead and attach an abutment to it. An abutment is a tiny titanium connector, commonly referred to as a post, which is fastened to the fixture. Ultimately, it will connect the tooth implant with the crown, which is the permanent replacement tooth. Also known as dental prostheses, the crowns will be fitted onto the abutment during one or more “try-in” appointments at our La Jolla, CA office. Matched to your natural teeth in size, color, shape, and even texture, your replacement teeth will be absolutely harmonized with your smile and your colleagues won’t even be able to tell the implants apart from the real thing!
When compared to removable dentures and dental bridges, it’s as if dental implants were of another world. Unlike alternative treatments, tooth implants will never move, loosen, or shift around in your mouth. Neither will they ever become ill-fitting; in fact, it’s very common for our La Jolla, CA patients to have their dentures replaced by implants for this exact reason. Implants provide a restorative tooth replacement that can last you for the rest of your life. Best of all, they’re very easy to maintain. Just like natural teeth, just brush and floss them on a daily basis, and make sure to schedule routine dental checkups to have any excess plaque and bacterial buildup removed.
Restore Your Smile’s Natural Beauty Today
If you are missing teeth or suffer from significant tooth decay, the choice should be easy. There is simply no other tooth replacement option that can offer the same benefits as dental implants. Don’t wait until your oral health deteriorates and start the journey towards a stunning, unforgettable first impression by contacting the La Jolla, CA office of Dr. Stephen Lockwood today! Give us a call at .