Over the past few years, more and more options for those with missing teeth have been introduced to dentistry. Where before the only options were dentures or bridges, now dental implants are becoming more and more popular.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dentures and bridges replace only the visible portion of your missing tooth or teeth. Dental implants, on the other hand, replace the entire tooth, including the roots. Your implant dentist uses a metal piece made from titanium, which is implanted directly into the jawbone. Titanium has the special property of being able to bond with bone. As a result, the new titanium root will stimulate your jawbone in the same way a natural tooth root does.
The titanium root portion takes a few weeks to fully bond with the bone, and for the surgical incisions to heal. After the root portion is ready to support the forces of chewing and biting, the visible portions of the dental implants are added.
The biting and chewing surfaces of your new teeth are specially manufactured for your mouth only. They match the color and the shape of your original teeth, giving you a smile that looks perfectly natural and will last for many years.
Advantages of Dental Implants
Dental implants offer a variety of advantages over traditional dentures, bridges, and other restoration options. Among these are:
- Dental implants are permanent
- Implants remain stationary in the mouth, so you don’t have to worry about them shifting or accidentally falling out
- Implants look and feel just like your natural teeth
- Implants help stimulate your jawbone, preventing bone atrophy, which is common in long-term denture wearers
Dental implants will give you the assurance that your smile will remain attractive and your jaw will stay healthy even though you have lost teeth. You won’t have to remove your teeth for cleaning or worry that changing shapes in your jawbone will require you to have your teeth refitted on a regular basis. Dental implants are truly the most convenient, most natural-looking option for your missing teeth. Contact our downtown Toronto office at 416-922-1012 to schedule a consultation.