Dental implants are an option for tooth replacement. They may be appropriate for people who have a full or a partial denture, or who have lost individual teeth.
During this procedure, a small titanium shaft is implanted into the jawbone by an Oral Surgeon and allowed to set. The bone grows around it forming a tight connection. Once the implant is firmly set in the mouth, the dentist then works to attach the replacement tooth or denture onto the top of the shaft.
Implants can also be used as support as part of an implant bridge. This is an alternative to partial dentures, and has several advantages. First, there is no adjustment period to acclimatize the patient who, once the work is done, only feels teeth, not metal supports intruding into the mouth. Second, this slows the bone loss occasioned by missing teeth. Third, there is no discomfort or difficulty in eating. And, best of all, of course, they don't have to be taken out all the time.