The question is often asked whether dental implants are removable like dentures. The answer is simply no, dental implants are fixed solidly in the bone and allow teeth to be replaced in a manner that is closest to natural teeth.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants provide several advantages over other teeth replacement options. In addition to looking and functioning like natural teeth, implants are designed to be long-lasting. They are also more comfortable and stable than conventional dentures, allowing you to retain a more natural biting and chewing capacity.
Dental implants are small titanium posts that are surgically placed within the jawbone. These posts and your bone fuse together, making the implant stable enough to support permanently placed false teeth called dental prosthesis such as crowns, bridges, and over-dentures.
Through careful planning, your periodontist will design an implant treatment plan to meet your needs. This planning involves an initial examination, special digital information like x-rays and models, and consultation that explains the procedure using computer-guided imaging.
Implant treatment involves placement of the implant by the implant surgeon and design and placement of the crown, bridge, or denture by a restorative dentist and dental lab. Because the surgery center has the entire team under one roof, the entire procedure from start to finish is efficiently implemented by the implant team.
Thanks to implant technology, you can replace missing teeth in a way that feels natural and is permanent instead of something that needs to be removed daily.
How Long do Dental Implants Last
It’s important to listen to your dentist’s recommendations for the best ways to care for your implant(s) after the procedure. It’s typical for implants to last a lifetime, but this depends on how well the implant is cared for in the months and years following the procedure. You also want to make sure to follow guidance from your dentist regarding the foods you should and shouldn’t eat. Natural teeth have ligaments between the tooth and the bone to provide a kind of cushion when you eat something hard, like candy. Implants don’t have this same buffer and instead, the pressure from hard foods is put directly on the bone. With the right attention and care though, your implants can last many years without issues!
It’s always best to discuss your specific requirements and questions with trained professionals, so contact us today to discuss dental implants! Ideally, you should get some form of tooth replacement as soon as you can to prevent bone loss. People who delay getting something done will often require bone grafts before treatment, extending the overall time required, and increasing the cost.
Give us a call at 717-551-1567 to schedule an appointment and discuss the options that will work best for YOU!
