What Are Dental Implants? There are many factors which can stop you having a perfect smile. Chipped and discoloured teeth, misaligned or overcrowded teeth and obvious decay are all things which will detract from the appearance of your smile no matter how well looked after the rest of your teeth are. Worse than any of these, however, is a missing tooth or teeth. A gap or multiple gaps in your smile will both completely ruin its’ appearance and stop you eating whatever you like, as well as having a detrimental effect upon the way you speak. The loss of confidence suffered by anyone with missing teeth cannot be overstated – you don’t want to smile broadly, you feel uncomfortable when talking to other people and, whether it’s a social or work occasion, you can’t help but be convinced that everyone is staring at the gaping hole where your healthy tooth used to be. That’s why the only thing to do is to fill that gap, and the best way of filling that gap is with a dental implant. A dental implant is a permanent solution to the problem of a missing tooth or teeth, taking the form of a stud, made from surgical steel, which is implanted in the jawbone. The replacement tooth is then attached to this stud, and your smile is returned to its’ former glory. A dental implant is a small screw type cylinder made from titanium, which resembles a slim metal rod and is attached to the lower or upper jawbone by your dentist. Teeth come in two parts – the root and the crown, and the implant takes the form of an artificial root. Over time, the implant attaches itself to the bone of your jaw until it is a part of your body, a process technically known as osseointegration. When this healing process is complete, a crown or multiple crowns can be attached to the implant, thus, unlike other treatments, replacing the crown and the root. Dental implants are a permanent solution to a problem which is both unsightly and seriously threatening to your long term health and well being. | |