Dental implants are a great treatment for missing teeth. Not only can they provide our patients with beautiful replacement teeth that look and feel just like natural teeth, but they can also perform many of the same functions. We get many patients asking about just how dental implants are capable of providing these kind of results. This ability is possible because, unlike dental bridges and dentures, dental implants are integrated into your jaw structure, just like your natural teeth are. Today, Dr. Craig S. Donn is blogging from Cherry Hill and Camden County, NJ to talk about how a process called osseointegration makes all of this possible.
The Science Behind Osseointegration
The first step of the dental implant process after your consultation is the actual implant procedure. During this visit, you will have your implant fixture placed along your jawbone. This implant fixture will take the place of your missing tooth root, and will hold the rest of your dental implant permanently in place. Naturally, this implantation will strain the tissue of your jawbone, which will cause it to begin to regenerate. Dental implants take advantage of this process, using this regeneration to better anchor your implant fixture in place. This process can take three to six months and is also when osseointegration takes place.
While your implant fixture heals, the jaw creates new tissue around it. Because the titanium used to make dental implants is biocompatible, this new jawbone tissue will grow on the surface of the implant fixture and interact with it as if it were a natural tooth root. And, because most implant fixtures are covered in small holes and ridges, this jawbone tissue will actually weave itself through the fixture, pulling it permanently into place on your jawbone. It is thanks to this process that dental implants are capable of offering our patients unmatched strength, stability, and endurance.
Dental implants receive many exclusive benefits because of osseointegration. For instance, your implants should never get loose or move out of place because your entire jaw structure works to hold them permanently in position. Not only that, but your dental implants will require no additional maintenance to stay healthy and strong. You will merely need to brush and floss your implant fixture regularly, just like you would your natural teeth. And, even with this minimal amount of care, your dental implant has the potential to last you a lifetime. No other treatment alone can provide this level of reliability.
Call and Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Donn
Thanks to osseointegration, dental implants are capable of providing our patients with the best possible replacement teeth. We believe that our patients should be fully informed about all of the treatment options that might be available to them. If you would like to learn more about dental implants and how you might benefit from replacing your missing teeth with them, we encourage you to contact us and schedule a no-obligation consultation with dental implant provider, Dr. Craig S. Donn, today. We eagerly await hearing from you soon!