Dental Implants

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are inserted into the jawbone to replace missing natural teeth. Implants and their attached crowns closely mimic the look and function of real teeth and are often the favoured way of replacing a missing tooth. Dental implants can also be used to support multiple teeth with an implant supported bridge, or can be used to help retain removable dentures.

Dental implants:

• help to withstand greater bite pressures with dentures

• prevent bone loss in the jaw, which reduces the risk of adjacent natural teeth becoming loose with time

• prevent the formation of hollowed or collapsed cheeks that can occur after tooth extraction (missing teeth cause bone loss in the jaw)

• are usually surrounded by gum tissue like natural teeth

• may prevent gum recession

• unlike bridges, do not require the cutting and reshaping of neighbouring healthy teeth

• are firmly secured in the jaws

• are usually more comfortable than dentures

• usually do not require separate care routines or special cleaning products as with dentures or bridges

• like natural teeth, are cleaned by dental floss and brushing with regular toothpaste.