Dental Implant
Implants are metal (titanium) anchors surgically placed into the jaw to hold permanent replacement teeth. Your bone will grow around this anchor and eventually attach to it to create a highly stable support. This bone attachment takes about two to six months.
The Benefits of Dental Implants
An implant looks and functions like a natural tooth. Dental implants also preserve your jawbone, keeping it healthy and intact. Implants can replace single or multiple teeth, support a bridge, replace a partial denture or secure a fixed denture. If replacing a single tooth, we may be avoiding damage to the neighboring tooth by not placing a bridge. Dr. Robbins can tell you if you are a candidate for dental implants.
Procedure of Placing Dental Implants
The first step is to place the implant, which looks like a screw or cylinder, into your jaw. The implant and bone are then allowed to bond together over the next two to six months. The next step is to attach a small post that is visible above the gum line (i.e. healing cap). These posts are in place for a couple weeks to allow the gum tissue to heal. After the healing phase, your replacement teeth or denture are permanently secured to the implants.
Care of Implants
Proper brushing, flossing, and regular check-ups with your dentist and Dr. Robbins are essential to the long-term service of your dental implants.