What are dental implants?
Dental implant restoration refers to a procedure for replacing missing teeth. A dental implant is a post that your Tucson Premier Smiles provider inserts into your jaw. Then they attach a dental crown or bridge to the implant to restore your tooth.
What are the benefits of dental implants?
Dental implants improve your appearance, which is the most important benefit for most patients. But implants also protect your dental health by:
Replacing the tooth root
Implants take the place of the original tooth’s root. In this role, they provide an anchor that’s strong and allows your crown or bridge to work just as well as your natural teeth.
Maintaining jaw strength
Over the years, your jawbone stays strong and healthy by eliminating old or damaged bone and replacing it with new bone. But your jaw doesn’t regenerate new bone unless it’s stimulated by pressure from your teeth and their roots.
When you lose a tooth, your jaw starts to weaken. Once the dental implant is in place, it once again triggers new bone growth.
Preserving tooth alignment
When you have a gap left by a missing tooth, the adjacent teeth gradually move toward the empty space. A dental implant holds those teeth in their normal position, preventing them from becoming misaligned and causing problems like tooth damage.
What should I expect during a dental implant procedure?
Before you get an implant, Tucson Premier Smiles uses the iTero® digital scanner to get a 3D image of your mouth. They use this detailed image to plan the implant placement.
After giving you anesthesia and sedation if needed to help you relax, your provider inserts a cylindrical post into your jaw. The post is long enough to go slightly above your gumline.
Over the next weeks or months, your jawbone grows and bonds with the dental implant. After the bone heals, the post is firmly anchored in the jaw, and you go back to the office to get your new tooth.
Your provider attaches a small piece to the top of the implant, creating a post above the gumline. Then they bond your new crown or bridge to the post.
A dental implant is the most secure way to replace missing teeth. If you need this type of dental care, don’t wait to schedule an appointment. Call Tucson Premier Smiles or book an appointment online today.
