Missing teeth don't have to ruin your smile. Dental implants offer a long-lasting way to restore teeth and improve your smile. Your Great Falls Lakes, MT, dentist, Dr. Dan Pence of Dental Care of Great Falls, can help you enhance your smile with implants.
Dental implants restore roots and crowns of missing teeth
Thanks to dental implants, your dentist can replace the bottom (roots) and top (crowns) of lost teeth. Implants take the place of your roots and are added to small openings in your jawbone made during minor oral surgery. The small posts are made of titanium, a lightweight metal that bonds to the bone during a process called osseointegration.
Osseointegration is a crucial step that gives your replacement roots the strength and stability needed for biting and chewing a variety of foods. In most cases, osseointegration takes about three to six months.
Dental implants are connected to dental crowns with tiny screws called abutments after osseointegration occurs. (In some cases, crowns can be added when the implants are placed in your mouth). Crowns are artificial teeth that replace the tops of your missing teeth. The restorations are made using an impression of your mouth to ensure that your new tooth looks right at home in your mouth.
Are dental implants right for you?
Your dentist will help you decide if dental implants are a good choice for you during your visit to the Great Falls Lakes dental office. As long as you're in good oral and general health, you'll probably be a good candidate for implants.
Implants may not be recommended if you have a disease or condition that affects healing or if you're a smoker, as smoking also interferes with healing. Bone depth is an important consideration if you'd like to receive a dental implant. If your jawbone isn't deep enough, it won't be able to support the dental implant. Fortunately, bone grafts are often helpful in building up shallow areas of the jawbone.
6 benefits of dental implants
Dental implants offer several benefits that make the restoration method a good choice, including:
- Excellent biting power
- No slipping or gum irritation when you chew
- A natural feel
- Ability to replace any number of missing teeth
- A stronger jawbone
- Easy care
Fill the gaps in your smile with dental implants! Call your dentist in Great Falls Lakes, MT, Dr. Dan Pence of Dental Care of Great Falls, at (406) 727-9889 to schedule your appointment.