
You may be familiar with a dental implant used to replace a single tooth — but implant technology can do much more. Implants can also support other restorations including total teeth replacement on a jaw.
The reason they're so versatile is because implants replace the tooth root as well as the visible crown. We use a metal post, usually made of titanium, which we surgically implant in the jawbone as a root substitute. Because of a special affinity with titanium, bone around the implant grows and adheres to it and creates a durable bond.
With a single tooth replacement (the implant's original purpose when they were introduced in the 1980s) we attach a life-like porcelain crown to the individual titanium post. But with their continuing development we've adapted implants for other applications, like using a few strategically-placed implants as a stable platform for removable dentures or fixed bridges.
We're now able to use implants to support a full prosthetic (false) dental arch. Though similar in appearance to a removable denture, this particular prosthesis is permanently joined to the supporting implants with retaining screws.
Of course, the application requires careful pre-planning, which includes making sure you have enough healthy bone to support the implants. We'll also need to determine how many implants you'll need (usually four to six for this application) and create a surgical guide to place them in the best location for supporting the prosthesis. A dental technician will then create the prosthesis to match your jaw ridge contours and facial structure.
Using implants this way has a benefit other types of restorations can't provide: they may help stop future bone loss. The jawbone life cycle depends on stimulation from the attached tooth as you bite and chew — stimulation that ends when you lose the tooth. Traditional dentures and other restorations can't replicate that stimulation. Implants, on the other hand, directly encourage bone growth and can stop gradual bone loss.
If you need some form of total teeth replacement, consider one supported by implants. You may find they'll provide an excellent long-term solution to both function and appearance.
If you would like more information on the different applications for dental implants, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.
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- 2019
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- Crazy Little Thing Called... Hyperdontia?
- Transform Your Smile with Porcelain Veneers
- Treating a Young, Permanent Tooth Requires a Different Approach
- Dental Implants Better than Ever thanks to Ongoing Tech Advances
- NBC Star Delivers a Message about the "Perfect" Smile
- Be Alert to the Unintended Consequences of Cancer Treatment to Oral Health
- 2018
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- Practice Caution with Energy or Sports Drinks to Protect Your Enamel
- This November, Become a Non-Smoker
- Take a Look into Your Future with a Trial Smile
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- Guide Your Older Children or Teens through These 3 Oral Health Areas
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- Do you need Simple Tooth Removal or Surgery? It Depends on a few Factors
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- Steely Dan Founder's Death Highlights Importance of Early Cancer Detection
- Fixed or Removable: Deciding Which Implant-Supported Bridge is Best for You
- Chewing Tobacco is Just as Addictive and Dangerous as Smoking
- Veneers may Offer a Less Invasive Way to Transform Your Smile
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- Answers to Common Questions About Root Canal Treatments
- Advances in Dental Health that may be Waiting for us Just around the Corner
- Margot Robbie Knows: A Great Smile Is Worth Protecting
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- Don't Fear the Root Canal - it Could Save Your Tooth
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- Ready for Summer Camp? Be Sure to Pack a Toothbrush
- What Happens in a Root Canal Treatment and How it Can Save Your Tooth
- Take Steps to Treat Chronic Mouth Breathing as Early as Possible
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- Don't Forget Hidden Fluoride Sources Your Family Could be Ingesting
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- Tips to Brighten Your Summer Smile
- Lasers Beginning to Change Some Root Canal Procedures
- Get a Look at Your Future Makeover Look Now with a 'Trial Smile'
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- Instill Good Dental Habits in Your Child as Early as Possible
- In Today's NFL, Oral Hygiene Takes Center Stage
- Lasers Adding New Precision and Efficiency to Root Canal Treatments
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- Not Enough Bone Support for an Implant? Here's a Way to Rebuild It
- 2017
- May (5)
- Clean Your Implants Just Like you Clean Your Natural Teeth
- Tooth-Colored Fillings Provide a Viable Alternative to Dental Amalgam
- No- or Minimal-Prep Veneers Reduce Permanent Alterations to Your Teeth
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- April (5)
- The Top 3 Oral Problems in America - and What You Should Do About Them
- See Your new Look Before Dental Work with a 'Trial Smile'
- Fifth Harmony's Camila Cabello Chips a Tooth, but Concert Still "Worth It"
- Keep the Space between an Implant-Supported Bridge and the Gums Clean
- Don't Let Smoking Increase Your Chances of Implant Failure
- February (5)
- Try Conservative Measures to Treating TMD Before More Aggressive Options
- New Crowns Give Both Durability and Beauty to Problem Teeth
- Actress Emma Stone Reveals How Thumb Sucking Affected Her Teeth
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- Get an Early Start Treating Root Resorption Before it's Too Late
- 2016
- June (5)
- Getting the Full Picture of Your Decay Risk Leads to Better Prevention Strategies
- Consider a Removable Partial Denture as a Temporary Solution After Tooth Loss
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- March (5)
- Though not Always Seen, it's Still Important to Replace a Missing Back Tooth
- Keep an Eye on your Gums to Catch Disease Early
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- 2015
- December (5)
- Gaining a New Attractive Smile is More than Achievable
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- 2014
- August (6)
- How Dentistry Saved Kathy Ireland's Smile
- Bad Breath Might be a Sign of a More Serious Oral Condition
- 7 Habits to Avoid While Brushing Your Teeth
- Dental Hygienist - Your Partner in Preventing Disease and Maintaining Oral Health
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