If you’re considering dental implants to replace the one or more teeth you’ve lost, then you might already know that the prosthetic teeth roots may be the best way to support your dental crown, bridge, or denture. As the strongest parts of your body, your teeth owe much of their strength to the roots that support them, and dental implants are designed to provide the same support for your replacement teeth. However, more stable support isn’t the only important thing about dental implants; they also help maintain the rest of your oral health the way your lost teeth’s roots were meant to.
Supporting Replacement Teeth
Once an implant is placed into your jawbone, it will take between four and six months to heal. Afterwards, a connective abutment is attached to the implant, protruding from the post underneath your gums to just above your gum line. The abutment allows us to attach your appropriate prosthesis to the implant post, creating a root-and-crown replacement for your missing tooth. Unlike conventional bridges and dentures, which rely on adhesives, clasps, or the support of neighboring teeth, implanted anchors allow you to bite and chew without worrying about your replacement teeth shifting or moving.
Preserving Your Jawbone Health
The reason dental implants work is because your jawbone accepts the titanium posts as biologically compatible, fusing to their surfaces as you recover and heal. In the immediate term, that means your dental crown, partial, or full denture will remain in place, unaffected by the pressures of biting and chewing.
In the long-term, it means implants help restore and maintain your jawbone’s integrity after it has lost the support of your teeth roots. By keeping your jawbone strong and healthy, dental implants reduce the risk of jawbone deterioration, or shrinkage from the decrease in stimulation and blood flow that follows tooth loss.
ABOUT YOUR KATY IMPLANT DENTIST:
Dr. Colin Lathrop and the Lathrop Dental Center proudly serve patients and families from in and around Katy, Fulshear, Weston Lakes, Simonton, Richmond, Rosenberg, Brookshire, Wallis, Orchard, and all surrounding communities. If you’d like to schedule a dental appointment, you can reach our office in Katy, TX, by calling (832) 437-3849.
