What are dental implants?

A dental implant is like a man-made tooth that replaces the root and crown portions of teeth. They can be used to replace one or more missing teeth in either the upper or lower jaw. They are the most ideal type of replacement and offer the best cosmetic appearance.

An implant is made up of the following components

1. Implant screw – this replaces the root portion of the tooth and is made of biocompatible titanium material. It is placed into the jaw bone.
2. Implant crown - The prosthetic (artificial) teeth, which look and function almost like healthy, natural teeth. This replaces the crown portion of your tooth.

Are implants a good choice for me?

Dental implants are a suitable option for most candidates. At American Smiles, our Implantologist will take a detailed history, conduct a clinical examination and diagnostic imaging will be done in order to assess the possibility of implants for you.

What are the advantages of Dental Implants?

1. They are fixed in the mouth and don’t have to be removed at night, making them far more comfortable for the patient.
2. A dental implant only replaces the missing tooth and no healthy teeth have to be reduced down, unlike dental bridges. This is a major advantage.
3. They feel natural. Teeth made on dental implants do not look artificial and resemble natural teeth. Patients have reported a very high level of satisfaction with the appearance and comfort of teeth on dental implants.
4. They are as efficient as natural teeth for chewing food.
5. They can be maintained the same way as normal teeth, with regular tooth brushing and flossing.
6. They help reduce bone loss. When a tooth is missing in the jaw, the bone which was surrounding the missing tooth starts to shrink because of lack of function. Placement of dental implants helps to greatly retard this bone loss.

However they may not be the best option if you

• Are below 18 years of age
• Are not medically fit, such as uncontrolled diabetes, bone metabolic disorders, blood disorders
• Have anatomic anomalies such as proximity to vital structures.
• Insufficient bone volume and quality for placements of implants
• Although, in some cases, this can be corrected by additional procedures.

It is always best to let your dentist decide whether you are a suitable candidate for placement of dental implants.

At American Smiles, we offer a wide range of solutions for replacing missing teeth with implants such as:

1. Single tooth implants
2. Same day implants/Immediate Implants
3. Full Mouth Implants
4. Salvaging Implants