How do Dental Implants Work?

    SACRAMENTO, CA, January 01, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Dental implants work by replacing the entire structure of a tooth. The advantage of dental implants is that they replace both the root and the upper portion of a tooth. The dental implant is permanently placed in your jawbone and supports a tooth restoration.

What Makes Dental Implants Different

Dental implants are unique in both how they are designed and how they are placed.

Dental implants are designed to mimic the structure of a real tooth. Dental implants consist of:
- A lower portion, which is typically made of titanium. The lower portion resembles a screw and is the actual "implant." The implant is inserted in your jawbone and buried beneath the gums.
- An abutment, which is a metal extension connecting the implant to the tooth restoration. The abutment is usually placed several months after the implant.
- A tooth restoration. The visible portion of the implant is the tooth restoration placed on top. Depending on how many teeth are missing, the restoration may be a tooth crown, dental bridge, or implant-supported denture.

The design of dental implants is essential to how they work. Dental implants work like a real tooth in one basic way: The dental implant is an artificial root replacing the natural tooth root. Tooth roots interact with your jawbone in an important way. The presence of tooth roots in the bone ensures that the bone remains healthy. Missing tooth roots can eventually cause jawbone deterioration, which can ultimately lead to a collapsed facial appearance. Dental implants promote jawbone health by acting as a tooth root.

The Dental Implant Process

The placement of a dental implant takes place in several phases. During the first phase, the implant is inserted in your jawbone, beneath your gums. The next phase is a healing period in which the implant fuses with your jaw. In the last phase, the abutment and tooth restoration are placed.

Depending on the specifics of your procedure, a traditional dental implant procedure can take six to nine months to complete. In some cases, it takes a few months longer. The reason for the treatment length has to do with "osseointegration." Osseointegration is the healing period required for the implant to integrate with your jawbone. This process may take several months, but it is necessary to the success of the dental implant.

To learn more about dental implants in the Sacramento, California area, please visit the website of experienced implant dentist Dr. David B. Miller at Advanced Dental Concepts to schedule a consultation at http://www.hightechsmiles.com.

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