How Does a Dental Implant Work?
A dental implant is specifically designed to act as an artificial tooth root, and it closely replicates this structure, but obviously, works slightly differently. Whereas a natural tooth root is held in the socket with stretchy pieces of tissue called periodontal ligaments, allowing it a small amount of movement when you bite or chew food, a dental implant is actually fused with the bone around it and is held solidly in place.
Even though the implant is fused in the bone, it still acts like a natural tooth root, providing stimulation to the bone around it that ensures the bone remains healthy and strong.
A natural tooth root normally provides this stimulation as every time you bite or chew, the sensations are transmitted through the crown of the tooth and into the tooth root and out into the surrounding bone.
These sensations signal to your body that old and dying bone cells must be renewed, ensuring the bone around your natural teeth remains healthy and strong.
If a natural tooth root is removed, the sensations are lost, and your jawbone will gradually remodel as your body no longer renews old bone cells. Over time, the ridge that used to support your teeth will lose height and width.
Protecting your jawbone is a critical function provided by a dental implant because when you lose natural teeth, bone resorption soon occurs, and it can have numerous undesirable side effects on your dental health and facial appearance.
Dental implants are the only method of tooth replacement that has this protective effect on your jawbone.
Most Dental Implants Have a Three-Part Design
A real tooth has two separate parts which are the tooth root hidden in the jawbone, and the crown of the tooth that protrudes above the gums and which is the part you see in the mouth.
Most dental implants we use in Brooklyn dentistry center are made from three separate pieces, with one part being the final restoration that will replace the missing tooth or teeth. Dental implant in Brooklyn is also completed in several different phases.
The first is the implant post or screw, while the abutment is a special type of connector that attaches to the implant post. This protrudes above the gum line and supports the implant restoration, which could be a crown, bridge, or denture. Some dental implants are a two-part structure, where the implant post and abutment are created as a single piece, and treatment is completed by attaching the implant prosthesis.
Usually, two-piece implants are mini dental implants or sometimes zirconia implants. Difference between titanium and zirconia dental implants
.
An implant post is often specially coated or treated to encourage new bone growth once it is surgically placed in your jawbone, called osseointegration and which takes several months to complete. Once fused with your jawbone, your implant dentist can begin the second stage of treatment, which is to attach the abutment.
During the final phase, your implant restoration is custom-made and fitted onto the implant.
Dental implant crowns and bridges are fitted permanently onto the implants and may be cemented or screwed in place. The screw hole in the implant restoration is covered with tooth-colored composite resin, so it is completely invisible.
It might sound strange to think of an implant bridge or crown being screwed onto the post, but it’s a very practical solution because your implant dentist can remove the prosthesis if any implant components require maintenance or replacement. Sometimes, when an implant restoration is cemented in place, a dentist will use temporary cement, so the restoration is easier to remove if needed but is still held firmly in place.
Questions
If you have any questions regarding Dental Implants in Brooklyn or to to make an appointment please call our top dentist Dr. Umanoff of LuxDen Dental Implants Center in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, NY.
Contact Us
