What is a Dental Implant?
Dental implants are the best option today to replace missing teeth. An implant is an artificial tooth root, positioned in your jaw in place of your original missing teeth, and then used as a support for replacement teeth such as crowns or bridges. They are secured firmly and you don't have to remove them to clean around them.
Dental implants have made it possible for patients to avoid dentures and partial dentures. Implants can improve your ability to chew and eliminate facial changes such as shrinkage around the corners of the mouth from denture use.
Why We Recommend Dental Implants
The loss of a single tooth can have serious repercussions for the rest of your mouth, but with dental implants, it’s like you never lost a tooth at all. The absence of even one tooth will cause surrounding teeth to shift and weaken over time. The jaw structure is compromised because the root of the missing tooth is also gone. The bone will atrophy in this area. Dental implants are actually rooted into the jaw, much like a natural tooth, which helps to support and stabilize the surrounding teeth and preserve the jaw bone. We recommend dental implants to our Burke, Fairfax, and Springfield, Virginia area patients.
How Long Does it Take to Get Dental Implants?
Once the dental implants are placed, they will need three to five months to fully integrate with the surrounding bone and gum tissue. If you have a set of dentures, you may wear them while your implants are integrating.
Once the dental implants are secure, a mold will be made of the space, and a crown will be made to fit. The crown will be secured to the implant, and can only be removed by a dentist.
How Do I Care for Dental Implants?
Dental implants require the least maintenance of any tooth replacement method. To care for dental implants, you only need to brush and floss just as you would natural teeth. Implants don't get cavities or gum disease. With dental implants, you may forget you were ever missing a tooth to begin with.
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