Dental implants are a long-lasting, durable replacement for your natural tooth root. With good oral hygiene and regular implant maintenance appointments, they are considered to be permanent replacements. Implants do more than just replace your extracted tooth; they act as a root replacement, therefore, preserving the jaw bone.
Are Implants Safe?
The short answer is a simple but definitive “yes.” Implants have been used with great success in dentistry for more than 30 years, and have been shown to be extremely safe. In fact, there’s almost no risk at all of any significant complications or problems with a dental implant procedure.
What are Implants?
All implants have three different parts: the artificial tooth root that serves as a base for your replacement tooth; a metal frame attached to the base, designed to hold an artificial tooth; and then there is the artificial tooth itself, which fills any gaps between teeth.
There are several different kinds of dental implants. They can replace a single missing tooth, multiple teeth, or serve as a support system for replacing multiple teeth.
However they’re used, implants will support and assist with the health of your jawbone and other teeth, along with greatly improving your smile.
Caring for your implants is simple. Good home care is essential for long term health and longevity of your dental implants.
- Brush and floss twice a day
- Schedule regular check-ups and cleanings with your dental team every 6 months or as often as recommended by your periodontal team.
Types of Implants
There are four main types of implants:
- Single Tooth Dental Implants
- Implant Supported Bridges
- Implant Supported Dentures
Single Tooth Implants
A single tooth dental implant is the most typical type. As is the case with all implants, it is made of three parts:
- the metal implant post inserted in the jawbone
- the abutment or metal frame
- the crown or artificial tooth that the abutment anchors
Inserted in the jawbone surgically, the implant simply replaces a missing tooth root without any damage to any of your surrounding teeth. It looks and acts exactly just like your natural tooth in both its appearance and function.
Implant Supported Bridges
If you’re missing three or more adjacent teeth, then an implant-supported bridge is what your dental team will use to fill in that gap.
The implants replace the two outermost missing teeth. A bridge is placed between them to cover the remaining gap. Implant supported bridges do not damage surrounding healthy teeth, which can happen with traditional bridges.
Implant Supported Dentures
Anchored with sturdy metal implants instead of messy, time-consuming adhesives, dentures supported by implants are far more comfortable and functional than traditional dentures. Implant supported partial dentures require two dental implants for support. The dentures themselves can be placed permanently in your mouth or inserted as snap-on, removable dentures.
Perio Implant Specialists of NJ have been setting the highest standards of excellence in periodontics and dental implant surgery since 2000. Their services include dental implants, crown lengthening, periodontal osseous surgery, bone grafting, and more. Contact Perio Implant Specialist of NJ today!