Implants
Dental implants are metal cylinders made of titanium that are surgically placed in the jawbone where teeth are missing. Implants replace the roots of missing teeth and support single crowns, large bridges, and dentures. State-of-the-art technology makes it possible for these implant-supported replacement teeth to look, feel, and function like natural teeth.
There are a variety of circumstances that may lead to missing teeth and the need for dental implants. Some examples are:
- If diagnosed and treated early, most cavities and decayed teeth can be treated simply with a filling, but in some cases the decay is so extensive the tooth cannot be restored and must be extracted.
- Ill-fitting and loose dentures.
- The forces generated by a patient grinding his/her teeth may be great enough to severely fracture a tooth leading to its extraction.
- Patients with a cleft lip often experience a missing tooth or teeth in a position corresponding to the cleft.