What Makes Dental Implants So Lifelike?

Dental implants can offer people with missing tooth replacement options that look and function like natural teeth. But what makes them so natural looking, and have the ability to last for decades? In today’s blog, your Cleveland, TX, dentist talks about the benefits of replacing lost teeth with dental implants.

Seeking Tooth Replacement

When you lose natural teeth, you should consider contacting our team to discuss replacement right away. Whether your tooth loss is minor, or pretty severe, this could mean major complications for your oral health. For example, losing teeth means that a gap is present that could cause surrounding teeth to move from their current positions, causing misalignment. Missing teeth also upsets bite balance, the resulting strain on the jaw joints leading to TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). You could also have trouble eating or even speaking clearly, and this could impact your ability to interact socially too. Finally, you could develop a prematurely aged appearance, as the jawbone around a missing tooth will lose mass and density, breaking down with time.

Implants and Abutments

To get started, our team will take a close look at your smile and gather digital images of your smile, which enable us to plan the placement process with detail. We can assess the strength of your jawbone and choose the position and angle to not only support a new tooth, but avoid sinus cavities and nerve tissues too. Once we’ve administered anesthesia and sedation, we will gently guide the implant post into the jawbone. The screw-like post will be made from biocompatible titanium, which bonds with the jawbone and acts as a new tooth root. This means it can stay in place for decades to come! When the placement area heals, we will attach an abutment to the tooth. This is a portion of structure that extends above the gum line.

Crowns and Dentures

Once the abutments are in place, we will attach the physical portion of your new tooth. For single missing teeth, we could use a custom-made crown, made from ceramic to absorb daily bite forces and offer a lifelike appearance too. For multiple missing teeth, we can use multiple post and abutments to support a bridge or even a complete set of dentures. You then have a new smile that looks great and functions like a natural one too.

If you have any questions about treating tooth loss, or about implant dentistry, then contact our team today to learn more.

Talk To Your Cleveland, TX Dentist About Treating Lost Teeth

Our team wants to help you maintain complete and beautiful smiles. For more information on addressing the gaps in your smile, then contact your Cleveland, TX, dentist, Dr. Uhrenholdt, by calling (281) 592-1234.