Dental Implants in Ann Arbor, MI
Your smile is one of the first things that someone notices about you, and a missing tooth or multiple teeth can put a damper on that first impression. Dental implants are artificial tooth roots used to support a restoration for a missing tooth or teeth, helping to stop or prevent jaw bone loss. By replacing missing tooth roots, dental implants provide people with the strength and stability to eat all the foods they love without struggling to chew. Dental implants can also stimulate and maintain jaw bone, preventing bone loss and helping to maintain facial features. With a visit to your dentist in Ann Arbor, MI you can find out if you are a candidate for this smiling saving procedure.
Your Ann Arbor, MI Dentist Explains How Implants Work
Strategically placed, dental implants can be used to support permanent bridges, eliminating the need for a denture. Implants are synthetic structures that are placed in the tooth where the root normally is contained. They are anchored to the jawbone or metal framework on the bone and act as a foundation for an artificial tooth or permanent bridge. In some cases, dental implants can also be used to attach dentures.
Dental implants today are virtually indistinguishable from your other teeth. The appearance is aided in part by the structural and functional connection between the dental implant and the living bone. Implants are typically placed in one sitting, but require a period of osseointegration, which direct anchorage of the implant root and the bone of the jaw occurs.
Osseointegrated implants are the most commonly used and successful type of dental implant, taking anywhere from three to six months to anchor and heal. Once healed and anchored, your dentist in Ann Arbor, MI can complete the procedure with the placement of a crown. As soon as the implant has anchored with the jawbone, artificial prosthesis may be attached and the process is completed. If osseointegration does not occur, the implant may fail.
Advantages of Dental Implants
If you, like millions of adults, have lost one or more teeth, then you understand the unpleasant consequences that accompany tooth loss. Missing teeth result in an older appearance, discomfort, inconvenience and an overall less active lifestyle.
Since implants are securely attached, you gain confidence to eat what you like, speak clearly and freedom from embarrassment. Other benefits of implants include:
- Improved Appearance: Dental implants look and feel just like your own teeth.
- Improved Comfort: Implants are securely anchored, so there is no slipping as there is with dentures. This eliminates some of the key inconveniences of dentures, including poor fit, gum irritation, and pain.
- Improved Health: Dental implants can help prevent deterioration of the jawbone caused by loss of teeth, so your face retains its natural shape.
- Durability: Implants are strong and can last a lifetime with proper care.
- Convenience: Unlike dentures, dental implants are permanent, eliminating the inconvenience of removing your dentures. With implants, you can brush and care for your teeth just as you would your natural teeth.
Not everyone is a good candidate for dental implants. If you’ve lost one or more of your natural teeth, it’s possible to continue to live confidently with dental implants from your dentist in Ann Arbor, MI at Gary Bloomfield, DDS. They look and feel exactly like your natural teeth, and unlike conventional restoration solutions, implants can last a lifetime.