Tooth loss is no longer the end of the world, thanks to modern dental techniques. Any number of missing teeth can now be replaced with dental implants. Many other tooth replacements have downsides that can affect a person’s quality of life.
At practices like Sheen Dental Implants in Richmond, dental implants avoid many of these downsides and even serve to preserve the patient’s remaining natural teeth.
How do dental implants preserve natural teeth?
Dental implants in Richmond act as artificial tooth roots. They provide the same type of stimulation that a natural tooth root does to the jawbone and the gums.
When a tooth or multiple teeth are lost and this stimulation stops, the bone begins to shrink, lose density and become unstable, putting the surrounding teeth at risk.
Many people will notice that if they have had multiple missing teeth for a long time, the muscles around the lips will also have a ‘sunken in’ appearance. This is because the bone and gums have changed shape with the absence of teeth or implants.
Dental implant procedure
In Richmond, dental implants are inserted after a minor surgical procedure has taken place. During this procedure, a small hole needs to be created in the patient’s jawbone. This is to allow a space for the dental implant to be inserted firmly into the jawbone.
The screw needs to have as much contact with the bone as possible to encourage the bone to heal around the titanium implant securely.
Once the implant has healed and formed a secure foundation, tooth replacement can be applied.
Forms of tooth replacement
Implants can support a number of different tooth replacement options. For a single missing tooth, a single dental implant can support a custom-made false tooth that will be made to fit in with the patient’s natural smile.
A single dental implant can also support a bridge replacing up to three missing teeth. The number of implants needed to support teeth depends on the density of the bone at the point of insertion.
Multiple implants can also be used to secure a patient’s dentures, making them much more practical and usable.
