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Why it's done
By Mayo Clinic staffDental implants are surgically placed in your jawbone, where they serve as the roots of missing teeth. Because the titanium in the implants fuses with your jawbone, the implants won't slip, make noise or cause bone damage the way fixed bridgework or dentures might. And the materials can't decay like your own teeth that support regular bridgework can.
In general, dental implants may be right for you if you:
- Have one or more missing teeth
- Have a jawbone that's reached full growth
- Have adequate bone to secure the implants or are able to have a bone graft
- Have healthy oral tissues
- Don't have health conditions that will affect bone healing
- Are unable or unwilling to wear dentures
- Want to improve your speech
- Are willing to commit several months to the process
References
- Answers to common questions about prosthodontics and smile restoration. American College of Prosthodontists. http://www.gotoapro.org/faqs/. Accessed Nov. 28, 2012.
- Dental implants. American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. http://www.aaoms.org/dental_implants.php. Accessed Nov. 27, 2012.
- Dental implants. American Academy of Periodontology. http://www.perio.org/consumer/dental-implants. Accessed Nov. 27, 2012.
- Rodriguez-Argueta OF, et al. Postoperative complications in smoking patients treated with implants: A retrospective study. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 2011;69:2152.
- Koh RU, et al. Immediate implant placement: Positives and negatives. Implant Dentistry. 2010;19:98.
- Single tooth dental implants. American Academy of Periodontology. http://www.perio.org/consumer/single-tooth-implant. Accessed Nov. 29, 2012.
- Dental implants. American Dental Association. http://www.ada.org/sections/professionalResources/pdfs/ADA_PatientSmart_Implants.pdf. Accessed Nov. 29, 2012.
- Esposito M, et al. Interventions for replacing missing teeth: Different times for loading dental implants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003878.pub4/abstract. Accessed Dec. 5, 2012.
- Esposito M, et al. Interventions for replacing missing teeth: Horizontal and vertical bone augmentation techniques for dental implant treatment. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003607.pub4/abstract. Accessed Dec. 5, 2012.
- Carr AB (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 4, 2012.
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