General Information About Dental Implants

By the time they are 44 years old, nearly 70 percent of adults have lost at least one tooth. Over 25 percent of adults lose all their teeth by the time they reach 74. Tooth decay, a root canal that fails, gum disease, and accidents are the major reasons adults lose permanent teeth.

If you have lost a permanent tooth you have a number of options for replacement. Removable dentures, fixed bridges, and dental implants are the most common, with dental implants being the procedure of choice in many situations. Removable dentures can slip, they often click while eating or speaking, and they can lead to bone loss. Fixed bridges frequently cause damage to adjacent healthy teeth and are vulnerable to gum disease and tooth decay. Dental implants, on the other hand, never slip or click and don’t damage adjacent teeth. With proper care dental implants can last for decades.

A dental implant has three parts: a titanium implant; an abutment that fits over the part of the implant that sticks out above the gum; and the crown, which fits onto the abutment and looks like a natural tooth. In time the implant and the bone fuse together, making a stable replacement. If you have several teeth missing from the same area of your mouth, you can still benefit from dental implants. The surgeon will place two or more dental implants and attach a dental bridge or dentures to the implants.

Placing a dental implant involves several steps and dental specialists. Some cosmetic dentists have the training to perform all aspects of implant placement; more often, a team of dentists works together on an implant, each performing different parts of the procedure. Typically one dentist performs the surgery to place the implant into the bone and another places the crown, which is fabricated in a dental lab. A Walnut Creek general dentist, a periodontist, a restorative dentist, and/or an oral or maxillofacial surgeon may be involved in the implant process.

If you want to replace a missing tooth with a nearly permanent replacement, a dental implant may be an excellent option for you. The overall success rate for dental implants is nearly 95 per cent, and the overall result is a replacement tooth that looks and feels natural.