Dr. Guy Spinner

Dental Implants
Why Replace Missing Teeth?

Usually when you lose a tooth, it is best for your oral health to have it replaced. Missing teeth can affect your “bite” as well as your ability to speak and chew. Their loss can increase the burden on your remaining teeth and can cause muscle pain in your jaws and headaches.

If you are considering dental implants, your mouth will be examined thoroughly and your dental and medical history will be reviewed to ensure that dental implants are appropriate for you. Dental x-rays and, frequently, panoramic (or complete) x-rays of your jaws will be taken to evaluate your jawbone to determine if it will accommodate implants. Occasionally more detailed information is required and can be provided by special x-rays. They will help determine if additional tests or procedures are needed to place your implants properly.

The best way to describe a dental implant is to compare it to a real tooth. A natural tooth consists of a root and a crown. The part of the tooth that you see and eat with is called the crown. Beneath the crown is the root, which anchors the tooth through the gum tissue to the jawbone. When you lose a tooth, you lose both the root and the crown. To replace a tooth, we first have to replace the root. Essentially, a dental implant is a new root. This titanium root is fitted into a socket that is created in your jaw, replacing the lost root of your natural tooth. Once the implant has been placed, the bone around the implant will need to heal for up to six months. When this initial phase of healing is completed, a support called an abutment will be placed on the implant itself and then a new crown will be placed on top.