IMPLANT DENTISTRY
Titanium implants have quickly become a very predictable and effective treatment for missing teeth. Crowns are fastened directly to the implant, which is a titanium screw placed into the jawbone. It’s not a significantly invasive procedure, and the result is a rock-solid, custom-built tooth.
If you are missing multiple teeth, implants can be used as anchors to replace multiple teeth with a fixed bridge, or to secure removable dentures.
The alternatives to implants include a denture, which can trap food, causing discomfort when eating and compromising the remaining teeth; or a fixed bridge, which might include healthy teeth on either side of a missing tooth. In this case, creating a fixed bridge would involve aggressive cutting of the healthy teeth on either side of the space. This can sometimes cause problems with otherwise healthy teeth. The bigger issue is that restoring the teeth with a fixed bridge will always result in a change in one’s natural bite.