Dental Implants

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root positioned into the jaw to support a replacement tooth or bridge. Implants are an excellent option for people in good oral health who have lost teeth to periodontal disease, injury or other causes.

The implant system has three components: the implant itself, inserted into the bone; the abutment, which connects implant and restoration; and the crown or denture you see and chew with. Modern implants are made of titanium, a biocompatible material with the unique property of fusing directly to bone, a process called osseointegration.

Because implants do not depend on neighboring teeth for support, they preserve more of your natural dentition than traditional bridgework. With proper placement and maintenance, implants can function for a lifetime.

What implants can do

• Replace one or more teeth without affecting the adjacent teeth
• Support a bridge and eliminate the need for a removable partial denture
• Provide secure, comfortable support for a denture

Advantages over dentures or bridges

Aesthetic: implants integrate into the bone, preventing the bone loss and gum recession that often accompany bridgework and dentures.

Tooth-saving: adjacent teeth are not ground down or used as anchors, preserving long-term oral health.

Confidence: secure implants let you speak and eat comfortably.

Reliable: implant treatment has highly predictable, well-documented success rates.

Are you a candidate?

Ideal candidates are in good general and oral health, with adequate jaw bone and healthy gum tissue free of periodontal disease. Implants can address a single missing tooth, several missing teeth, or a completely edentulous arch.

Planning starts with an examination, a bite assessment together with your dentist, and radiographs. A panoramic radiograph shows the structures of the upper and lower jaw; complex cases may require a CT scan, which provides three-dimensional images for accurate measurement of the available bone.