Dental implants are rapidly becoming one of the most popular tooth replacement options. No matter how many teeth you've lost, implants offer an excellent way to restore your smile. McDonough, GA, dentist Dr. Robert Brooks of Brooks Cosmetic & Family Dentistry shares a few facts about dental implants.

If you take good care of your implants, they may just last your entire life. Implants are made of titanium, a metal that is capable of fusing to the jawbone. Dental implants function as substitute roots. Once they bond to your jawbone, they're there to stay. The bonding process starts after you receive the implants during a minor oral surgical procedure. In about three to six months, full bonding will occur. When it does, you're ready for the next step, the attachment of a dental crown in our McDonough office.

The crown will not only fill in the gap in your smile but will also make eating much easier. Your new crown will be attached with a special connector, called an abutment, that will be added to the top of the implant.

Dental implants are very comfortable

Poorly fitting dentures can slide around in your mouth when you take a bite of food. Painful irritation tends to occur when the bottom of the dentures slide against your sensitive gum tissue. Although irritation is less likely to happen with bridges, it can occur if they don't fit well. Dental implants offer a much more comfortable chewing experience because your crowns don't rest on your gums, but are attached to the implants. For many people, implants feel just like real teeth.

Dental implants can prevent other oral health problems

Other teeth may be affected by the loss of a tooth. One problem occurs when the teeth begin moving toward the open space in your mouth. As the teeth drift, they overlap, which makes it difficult to remove plaque, a sticky film that causes cavities.

Root replacement offers important benefits for your smile. The loss of a tooth causes your jawbone to weaken. As it shrinks, it may no longer be able to hold other teeth firmly in place. Facial sagging can also occur as a result of receding jawbone. When you replace lost roots with dental implants, the implants continue to exert pressure on the bone, preventing these unfortunate consequences.

Keep your smile strong and healthy with dental implants. Call McDonough, GA, dentist Dr. Robert Brooks of Brooks Cosmetic & Family Dentistry at (678) 583-0300 to schedule an appointment.