Dental Implants: The State-of-the-Art Tooth Replacement at Schaefer Dental Group in Lansing, Michigan
The dental implant is today’s state-of-the-art tooth replacement method. It consists of a very small titanium post (the actual implant), which is attached to a lifelike dental crown. The implant itself rests beneath your gum line in the bony socket that used to hold your missing tooth. Whether you are missing one tooth, several teeth, or all your teeth, dental implants are the preferred solution at Schaefer Dental Group.
Implants can support a single crown, multiple crowns, or even an entire arch of upper or lower replacement teeth. They are favored by doctors and patients alike for five key reasons:
1. Most Like Natural Teeth
Your natural teeth have roots that securely anchor them to your jawbone. Implant teeth function similarly because they are made of titanium, a metal that has a unique ability to fuse to living bone—a process called osseointegration. Once fused, your implant-supported replacement tooth will feel completely natural and be visually indistinguishable from your natural teeth. Implant teeth allow you to eat, speak, and smile with complete confidence because they will never slip or shift like removable dentures often do.
2. The Longest-Lasting Tooth Replacements
Because dental implants actually become part of your jawbone, they provide a permanent solution to tooth loss. Whereas other methods of tooth replacement, including removable dentures and bridgework, may need replacement or remaking over time, properly cared-for implants should last a lifetime. This makes them the best long-term value.
3. Able to Prevent Bone Loss
Bone loss inevitably follows tooth loss because the jawbone needs constant stimulation from the tooth roots to stay healthy. When a tooth is lost, the bone beneath it begins to resorb, or melt away, which can give your face a prematurely aged appearance. Dental implants halt this process by fusing to the jawbone and stabilizing it. No other tooth replacement method offers this crucial advantage.
4. Safe for Adjacent Natural Teeth
Dental implants are stand-alone tooth replacements that have no effect on the health of adjacent natural teeth. In contrast, bridgework requires the natural teeth on either side of a gap to provide support, stressing those teeth and making them more susceptible to decay. Likewise, a partial denture may cause adjacent natural teeth to loosen over time.
5. Easy to Care For
Caring for implant teeth is no different than caring for your natural teeth. You must brush them and floss them daily. You’ll never have to apply special creams or adhesives, or soak them in a glass overnight. While implants can never decay, they can be compromised by gum disease. Good oral hygiene and regular visits to Schaefer Dental Group for professional cleanings and exams is the best way to ensure your dental implants last a lifetime, as they’re designed to do.