Did you know that the ancient Mayan civilization attempted tooth replacement with dental implants made of carved stones or seashells? Modern dental implants were introduced in 1965 when a Swedish dentist attached a tooth restoration to a titanium screw surgically implanted in the jawbone of a human volunteer. Today, dental implants are routinely used to replace one, several or even all of the teeth along either the upper or lower arch. If you are contending with the difficulties of missing teeth, then dental implants may be the ideal solution. The dentists at Heart of Texas Smiles in Waco, TX, have used dental implants to rebuild smiles for many patients and they can do the same for you!
The Advantages of Dental Implants
For tooth replacement, dental implants offer several advantages over dentures. First, a dental implant is securely anchored in bone, so you never have to worry about a prosthesis that slips or even falls out. And similarly to one of your natural tooth roots, an implant fuses with the surrounding bone tissue, thus stimulating healthy new bone growth that prevents a sunken facial appearance that often plagues people who are missing teeth.
Types of Dental Implants
Dental implants can be used to solve a variety of tooth loss conditions, ranging from one tooth to an entire arch of missing teeth. In the case of a single tooth, one of the dentists at Heart of Texas Smiles surgically positions the dental implant in the bone. Then, after you’ve healed and the implant and bone have fused together, a porcelain crown is attached to the implant. Similarly, two dental implants can be used to secure a crown and bridge restoration.
For people who need to replace all of the teeth along one or both arches, there are a few implant solutions.
All-on-4 Dentures. Also called a fixed hybrid denture, this option is a permanent solution that combines the stability of four to six implants with a lifelike denture that is secured to the implants.
Implant Overdenture. For some patients, being able to remove implant-retained dentures is a better choice than fixed hybrid dentures. In this case, two to four implants are placed in the jaw and the denture snaps in and out of place on the implants.
Mini Implants. As the name suggests, these implants are somewhat smaller than standard implants and can be used with existing dentures that are modified with an under carriage to secure the prosthesis to the mini implants.
Call Our Office Today
If you would like to find out which type of dental implant restoration is best for your smile, then call the office of Heart of Texas Smiles in Waco, TX.