Dental implants are a permanent, natural-looking option to restore missing teeth. Implants look and feel just like your natural teeth. Modern advances in implant dentistry make implants available for more and more people who wish to pursue a different treatment than traditional dentures. Almost any tooth can be replaced with a dental implant. [pullquote]If you are missing a single tooth or several teeth, dental implants represent an excellent restoration option.[/pullquote]

Replacing Missing Teeth With Implants

If you are missing a single tooth or several teeth, dental implants represent an excellent restoration option. Implants include an artificial root that is placed directly in your jawbone, as well as a prosthetic replacement for the biting or chewing portion of the tooth. The visible portion of your new tooth is custom made and meticulously color matched so that it is virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

Whether or not you are a good candidate for dental implants is not determined by which teeth you need to have replaced. Instead, your implant dentist will consider the following issues before determining if implants are the best treatment:

• Your overall health, including any systemic issues that could affect healing
• The health of the jawbone where the implants will be placed
• Your willingness to adhere to diligent aftercare

These issues are important in determining the likely success of your implant procedure, regardless of where the missing tooth is located.

Why Implants Instead of Dentures?

Dental implants provide a number of advantages over traditional dentures. Implants are permanent, and do not shift or move in the mouth. Properly fitted dentures are not supposed to move, but in many cases they shift and can cause discomfort in the long term. Implants also can be cleaned just like your natural teeth, rather than being removed and cleaned with special denture rinses.

One of the biggest advantages of implants is that they help the jawbone remain healthy. Because there is no root to stimulate its ongoing growth, the jawbone can break down over time for many denture wearers. Implants, with their titanium artificial root, keep the bone tissue from suffering atrophy.

If you have missing teeth and would like to find out what implants can do for you, please contact Hinsdale Dentistry, serving Downers Grove and the surrounding areas, at 630-323-4468 to schedule your consultation.