Dentistry by Design in Hinsdale, Illinois offers a variety of services including general dentistry, aesthetic dentistry, and TMJ treatment.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants in Hinsdale are designed to replace missing teeth and stabilize the jawbone, which can actually shrink if the patient loses enough teeth. In the worst cases, if the patient loses all of their teeth, they can develop a condition called facial collapse. The absence of teeth causes the body to absorb the minerals and bone in the patient’s jaws and send them elsewhere. Their jaws thus begin to shrink. Not only does this age the patient’s appearance, it impairs their ability to wear dentures and to eat anything but soft foods.
Dental implants prevent facial collapse from getting worse and provide support for dentures. They also have the advantage of not affecting any remaining teeth. Bridges, by contrast, often require the dentist to prepare the teeth on either side of the missing tooth.
A dental implant is basically an artificial tooth root. It is typically made of titanium, which is biocompatible and thus won’t be rejected by the body. Titanium will also eventually fuse with the jaw bone in a process called “osseointegration,” which takes two to six months. That fusion means that the implant can last the rest of the patient’s life, with proper care.
The implant itself looks like nothing more than a screw. When the dentist is satisfied that the implant is stable, they will put a porcelain crown on top of it. The crown will be custom-made to match the rest of the patient’s teeth. Some dental implants can be designed to support dentures, and implant-supported dentures are far more stable than the removable type. They don’t fall out or slide around, and they make it much easier for the patient to speak and chew.
