Tooth replacements have come a long way since the old days. While tooth replacements used to be crudely sanded slabs of oxen bone, we can now use modern dental technology to provide a natural looking, functional, and strong tooth replacement that’s hard to tell from the original – and dental implants represent the most advanced way to do this. That’s because dental implants don’t just replace the crown, or visible part, of a tooth – they also serve as a replacement for the tooth root.
Dental implants are essentially small metal cylinders inserted into the jaw that provide a stable foundation on which a crown can be placed. They emulate the function of the tooth root, which grounds natural teeth into the jaw bone, providing a stable, long-lasting anchor for them. A big part of their strength and stability comes from one of titanium’s most remarkable properties: osseointegration.
In the mid-twentieth century, scientists discovered the remarkable fact that titanium fuses with bone. Called osseointegration, this phenomenon makes it a perfect material for dental implants. The small titanium cylinder is placed into the jawbone by an oral surgeon, then left alone to heal. During this time, the implant gradually osseointegrates – it literally fuses with the jaw. After a few months, the implant has become a permanent, integrated part of the jawbone.
Osseointegration comes with a number of benefits. It improves the connection between the crown and the the rest of the mouth, it provides a stable, long-lasting foundation for the new tooth, and it helps to stop jawbone atrophy that can occur after losing a tooth. In addition, dental implants attach to the jaw, making them independent of other teeth and meaning that they don’t require supports placed on adjacent teeth.
The implant itself, in addition to a medical cylinder that goes into the jaw, has an abutment, which is a small nub where a crown is placed. This abutment provides strong, stable foundation for the crown without relying on other teeth.
Overall, dental implants provide the strongest, most lifelike looking structure of all tooth replacements – so if you want to find out if they’re right for you, we’re here to help. Feel free to call us at 702.367.6666, learn more about our services, or reach out to us at our contact page to schedule an appointment at our Las Vegas, NV office. We can’t wait to hear from you, and we look forward to seeing you back at this blog for more tips on achieving and maintaining a healthy, beautiful smile.