Dental Implants

A dental implant replaces a missing tooth with a titanium root replica without the need to prepare or cut down adjacent teeth. Highly successful, durable, natural in appearance and proven, an implant with a crown replaces a single missing tooth. Multiple implants can be used to support a dental bridge for the replacement of multiple missing teeth. Implants can also be used to increase the retention of dentures. Once the implants have anchored into the bone (osseointegration), usually three to six months, the final phase takes place. The patient usually does not require any anesthetic or additional tooth preparation to restore with a crown, bridge, overdenture, or retention bar for a full denture. When implants are placed and restored, the bone acquires a functional load again, causing less of a chance for jawbone loss or resorbtion. In rare cases, dental implants may be the only choice to restore all necessary functions of the teeth and supporting structures. Implants can also be placed temporarily to provide anchors for orthodontists to facilitate tooth movement. Implants are 95% successful in the lower jaw and 90% successful in the upper jaw, which has less dense bone. Lower posterior implants are the most successful. Smokers are denied the option for implants due to the high failure rate.