The durability of dental implants is just one of many appealing features of this treatment option. Learn more about dental implants to see if you can benefit from everything this intervention has to offer.
Dental Implant Technology: How It Works
Dental implants are made of biocompatible titanium, which is essential to how they work. Because titanium is biocompatible, bone tissue can fuse with a dental implant after an oral surgeon inserts it into the jaw.
Osseointegration, which takes place over the course of several months, leaves the dental implant as a permanent fixture in the patient’s jaw to replace the missing root of the biological tooth and secure a prosthetic appliance – crown, bridge or denture.
Why Dental Implants Are So Durable
Dental implants basically function in the same way that the roots of your biological teeth do. We often take them for granted, but those roots play an important role in the stability of your smile by anchoring your jawbone tissue.
When a tooth is lost and its missing root is not replaced, that bone tissue gradually erodes. So, if patients choose a standard dental bridge or denture when faced with tooth loss, the underlying bone will atrophy, causing its shape to change.
As the jawbone’s contour evolves, the original appliance loses its fit. Eventually, it will need to be replaced. Because dental implants keep the shape of the jaw consistent, the appliance supported by those dental implants remains securely in place. With proper care, dental implants can last for decades.
Other Advantages of Dental Implants
Durability is one of many advantages of dental implants. Others include:
- Greater comfort
- More reliability
- Superior chewing function
- Convenience
Of course, to gain all of these benefits, you must take care to properly maintain your dental implants. Follow the directions provided by your oral surgeon.
To learn more about dental implants as a permanent solution for tooth loss and the host of other benefits that they offer, schedule a no-obligation consultation at our office.