DENTAL IMPLANTS
Restore Your Missing Teeth with Dental Implants
A missing tooth is more than just a nuisance. It prevents you from smiling and laughing without embarrassment, so you may become more self-conscious and less carefree. A missing tooth also keeps you from chewing and speaking normally. Over time, it even causes jaw deterioration, which means your face and jaw start to sag.
Fortunately, one procedure can make your smile nearly as good as new: dental implants. Implants anchor a false tooth directly to your bone, which means your false tooth looks and acts just like your lost one.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
Your teeth enhance your smile. They also preserve your facial structure, prevent bone atrophy, and let you eat and form words. A dental implant takes care of these same basic functions.
Unlike dentures, a dental implant attaches to your jaw permanently. During the two-part procedure, your dentist will implant a titanium post in place of a root. Over a period of several months, your bone bonds to the post, which makes it almost as strong as your original tooth's root.
Once your gums and bones heal, your dentist will attach a false tooth to the post. Since the false tooth is coloured to match your other teeth, you and everyone else will have a difficult time distinguishing it from your real set.
Am I a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
Since your implant attaches directly to the jaw, you must have the right amount of bone to support the implant. In some cases, the bone may have deteriorated too much to make the implant successful. In other cases, bone grafts may give the post the foundation it needs.
To find out if your bone can support an implant, schedule a consultation at our office. We'll give you dental and radiographic exams to evaluate your teeth and bone structure, and then discuss your dental needs, history and concerns. Our doctors have years of advanced training, years of surgical experience, and can offer the entire implant process in-house.
Call us at 604-826-9014 to discuss your opportunities for dental implants with Dr. Smillie or Dr. Tyler.
See Dr. William Tyler’s Diplomate of the ABOI and Fellow/Associate Fellow of the AAID credentials.