What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are artificial tooth roots, typically made from titanium, that are surgically placed into the jawbone beneath the gums. Once in place, they allow dentists to mount replacement teeth, such as crowns, onto them. Because they fuse to the jawbone, dental implants offer stable support for artificial teeth, ensuring that dentures and bridges mounted to the implants won’t slip or shift in the mouth—an especially important benefit during eating and speaking. This fusion process, called osseointegration, helps the implants feel more natural than conventional bridges or dentures. Dental implants can be an option for people who have lost one or more teeth due to injury, periodontal disease, or other reasons.

What Is the Procedure of Dental Implants?

The procedure for getting dental implants typically involves several steps and may span several months, primarily because it allows for healing time between procedures. Here’s a general overview of the dental implant process:

• Initial Consultation: This first step involves a thorough examination of your mouth and teeth, including X-rays or 3D images, and a review of your medical history. The dentist will plan the implant process and may involve specialists such as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, a periodontist, and a prosthodontist.
• Tooth Extraction: If the tooth to be replaced is still present, it will need to be extracted.
• Jawbone Preparation (Grafting): If your jawbone isn’t thick enough or is too soft, you might need bone grafting before you can have dental implant surgery. This process involves transplanting a piece of bone from another part of your body or using a special bone grafting material to build up the jawbone.
• Abutment Placement: After the implant has bonded with the jawbone, a small connector post called an abutment is placed on top of the dental implant to securely hold the new tooth.
• Impressions: Once the abutment is placed, impressions of your teeth are made, which are used to create the crown, your realistic-looking artificial tooth.
• Crown Placement: The crown, custom-made to match your natural teeth, is attached to the abutment.

The entire process can take many months from start to finish. Much of this time is devoted to healing and waiting for the growth of new bone in your jaw. When properly cared for, dental implants can last a lifetime.