Implant dentistry in Burton, Michigan

Teeth Implants Burton, MI

Millions of people experience tooth loss every year, causing many to visit their dentists in hopes of a prosthetic solution. Although dentures and bridges have long offered a way of replacing missing teeth, dental implants are quickly becoming the preferred choice thanks to their flexibility, durability, and functionality. Whether you are missing one tooth or all of them, dental implants can be used to help preserve your facial bone structure, support natural-looking crowns, and make it possible to continue enjoying many of the same foods that might otherwise be off-limits with dentures and bridges.

What’s a Dental Implant?

A dental implant is a prosthetic replacement for a tooth root. When a natural tooth falls out or is removed, it leaves a gap in the bone beneath. This bone can begin to erode over time without a tooth inside it, resulting in changes in facial appearance. Implant dentistry in Burton, Michigan provides patients with advanced solutions for tooth replacement, offering high success rates and long-term results that restore both function and aesthetics. A dental implant is a biocompatible titanium rod that is placed in the bone where a missing tooth once was, fusing with the surrounding bone and forming a strong bond that can last for decades.

With the implant rooted in place, it can be used to support an individual crown for the most natural-looking and feeling tooth replacement, or the implant can be used to help secure some other type of prosthetic, such as a denture or bridge. Furthermore, the implant prevents bone erosion that might otherwise cause a denture to become ill-fitted over time. In addition, an anchored tooth is less likely to fall out when eating or talking compared to a denture that is only secured by a denture paste.

Getting a Dental Implant

Dental implants are surgically placed in the jaw at your dentist’s office, usually with the help of anesthesia and sedation. First, the dentist determines if you are a candidate for implants based on your bone structure. If you lack sufficient bone to support an implant, you may require a bone grafting procedure before you can undergo implant surgery.

During the implant placement, the small titanium post is placed inside the jawbone. Your dentist may provide a temporary tooth prosthetic while the site heals and the implant fuses with the surrounding bone. Later, a permanent crown or other restoration is anchored to the implant. It is normal to experience some soreness following an implant surgery. Be sure to follow the dentist’s directions for post-operative care and continue visiting your dentist for regular exams after your permanent restorations are in place.

Benefits of Dental Implants

When compared to fixed bridges and removable dentures supported by other teeth or gum tissue, implants offer numerous advantages. Here are some of them.

1. Better aesthetics:

   Since implants are placed in the gum similar to the way a natural tooth is supported, they offer a more realistic and natural look compared to other alternatives.

2. Reduction of bone restoration:

   When a tooth is lost, the supporting bone structure gradually recedes. Placing an implant in that space significantly reduces the speed of bone restoration and provides stability for this valuable tissue.

3. Retention:

   Patients who have experienced removable full or partial dentures know that keeping their dentures in place is always a challenge. Dental implants offer a great improvement to denture retention for all patients. In some cases the denture can be secured to a group of implants with special screws that stabilize the denture completely.

4. Preserving natural tooth structure:

   Often, the preferred method of replacing a single missing tooth is a bridge. Bridges require extra preparation for the surrounding teeth to ultimately connect 3 or more teeth. This negatively impacts your health by making the task of retaining your teeth more difficult and by often requiring the destruction of existing tooth structure to create room for the new bridge. An implant is mostly an independent unit and does not negatively affect the adjacent teeth.