Dental implants are essentially small screws that when placed in intimate contact with jaw bone mimic the roots of your teeth, both attaching restorations to the jaws (like teeth) and stimulating the bone keeping it stable. Since you have experienced tooth loss in the past you know that once a tooth is removed, the jaw bones shrink over time. One of the biggest advantages of an implant is that because the jawbone is again required to work, bone shrinkage stops.

But, I suspect you're not too interested in bone loss, compared to naturally replacing a missing tooth or stabilizing uncomfortable dentures (or perhaps getting rid of an existing partial denture). Consider for a moment the long term effects of bone loss: bone next to missing teeth shrinks making remaining teeth more susceptible to decay and gum disease, less and less support for stabilizing dentures, more and more goop required to hold in place, lower plates pinching nerves and muscle attachments are too sore to chew, etc. (I could go on). But I digress.

There are many treatment alternatives ranging from immediate single tooth replacement to supporting existing dentures to restoring your mouth with teeth that are stable, good looking, and functional. Which is best for you depends on your goals and budget.

Surf on for more detail on specific implant supported treatments, or contact Lynsey to schedule a free consultation to discuss your situation at (231) 947-3530.