A dental implant is an artificial tooth root made of titanium metal that is placed into your jaw to replace the root of a missing or removed tooth. Once in place, this artificial tooth root holds a replacement tooth or bridge that looks like a natural tooth.
Dental implants may be an option if you have lost a tooth (or teeth) or are unhappy with your smile.
Implants offer you a number of benefits over other tooth replacement options (like fixed bridges or removable dentures). They:
- look and function like real teeth;
- do not require support from surrounding teeth (cavities or problems with surrounding teeth will not affect a dental implant);
- keep your smile beautiful (fixed bridges or removable dentures can leave a visible gap in your smile as your gum line recedes over time);
- help your surrounding teeth stay healthy (the cement holding bridges in place can wash out, allowing bacteria to decay teeth that anchor the bridge);
- won’t limit the foods you can eat (removable partial dentures can move around in the mouth and reduce your ability to eat certain foods); and
- prevent your jaw bone from deteriorating by filling the hole left by your original tooth.
At Cityview Periodontal, we offer single tooth, multiple tooth, and full mouth dental implants. Our implants are made of the highest quality materials and are meant to last a lifetime.
Cityview periodontal doctors are trained in advanced bone grafting techniques and offer sedation options so you can sleep through the procedure.
If you have a dental implant that is infected or losing bone support, our doctors can help return your implants to good health and help your implant last longer.
We’re also proud to offer the All-on-4®system for patients who want a permanent solution, rather than a removal denture, to replace all of their teeth. The All-on-4® system looks and feels like individual tooth implants but only requires four tooth root implants to hold each the top and bottom row of artificial teeth.
Read a step-by-step guide through the implant process: The Canadian Dental Association website.
Types of implant methods: American Academy of Periodontology.
We like to remind our patients that dental implants require the same care as natural teeth. Even though your implant can’t get a cavity it’s important to keep it clean and plaque-free by brushing and flossing.