Losing a tooth is not only profoundly inconvenient, it can also take a toll on your overall health. When a patient loses a tooth, he has a glaring hole in his smile, and his teeth can shift around because of the missing tooth. Additionally, losing a tooth can lead to bone density deterioration—when you’re missing a tooth root the jawbone can actually weaken and begin to disintegrate.
Our Tinley Park dental implant dental office is here to help patients with missing teeth enjoy happy, healthy smiles again. Dental implants are a unique tooth replacement option, because they actually replace the appearance and the function of a natural tooth. A dental implant is a small titanium screw that is surgically inserted into the jawbone. This screw mimics the tooth root. Consequently, it prevents your natural teeth from shifting around, and it helps prevent jawbone deterioration.
This titanium screw doesn’t simply sit in the tooth root’s previous hole, however, it actually bonds to the natural bone. Through a process called osseointegration, the titanium implant root bonds with natural bone material, creating a strong, healthy foundation for the dental restoration that is placed on top.
Osseointegration sets dental implants apart from all other tooth replacement options. Because dental implants are surgically implanted within the jawbone, you never have to worry about them falling out, shifting around, or looking/feeling unnatural. Additionally, patients can care for dental implants as they care for natural teeth—at least twice daily brushing and flossing, as well as diligent professional cleanings.
Whether you’re missing one tooth or multiple teeth, dental implants may be the answer for you. If you’d like to learn more about dental implants, tooth replacement options, or osseointegration, give our Orland Park dental implant dentist a call.