Why Dental Implants are the Best Solution for Replacing Missing Teeth

Sep 23, 2022
 Why Dental Implants are the Best Solution for Replacing Missing Teeth
When you’re missing a tooth, you want its replacement to look and function like the original, blending seamlessly into your smile. Dental implants do just that, and it’s only one reason they're the best choice for replacing missing teeth.

More than 3 million Americans have replaced their missing teeth with dental implants, and for good reason. Dental implants look, feel, and function like natural teeth. Unlike other options, dental implants stimulate the growth of new bone in your jaw.

John Freeman, MD, DDS, FACS, located in Katy, TX,  has helped countless patients reclaim confident, healthy smiles with state-of-the-art dental implants. Here he breaks down why dental implants are the gold standard for replacing missing teeth and what to expect when undergoing this procedure.

How dental implants work

Dental implant restorations are comprised of three parts: 

  • A titanium/zirconia screw implanted into your jaw
  • An abutment that is attached to the implant
  • A new prosthetic tooth or crown that is screwed to the abutment

Here’s how we install these pieces to create your new, permanent tooth. 

First, we make an incision to access the bone and insert the titanium rod or implant into your jaw. Titanium and zirconia are excellent materials for implant use because it’s compatible with your body and can bond with bone during healing. The rod or implant is flush with your bone. 

 Once the rod is embedded, the bone regrows around it, firmly fusing it with the bone and creating a stable anchor for your new tooth. It provides a new tooth root to replace the original.

After three months, when the bone has securely fused around the rod, we screw the abutment into the implant. 

The final step is firmly attaching the porcelain crown, the part of the tooth that shows. 

Unparalleled benefits of using implants to replace missing teeth

Here are the four top reasons you should consider dental implants:

Strength that functions just like your original tooth

A dental implant is as close as possible to duplicating your natural tooth. The rod is just as secure as the original tooth root so you can speak, laugh, chew, and eat with the same confidence. This strength comes from the fact that titanium and zirconia bonds naturally with the bone. 

Restores a natural and beautiful smile by matching your teeth

The prosthetic tooth attached to the implant is made from porcelain and custom tinted and contoured to match the rest of your teeth. 

Porcelain is used to contour your crown because it’s translucent and is the only material that can duplicate the same sheen as natural tooth enamel. Not even your best friend can discern your implant from the rest of your teeth. 

Also, porcelain is uniquely durable.

Preserve a healthy jawbone

Your jawbone stays strong by remodeling, a natural, lifelong process in which your body eliminates old or damaged bone and replaces it with new, healthy bone. The pressure created when you chew travels to the rod and into the jaw, where it triggers remodeling.

Maintain the surrounding teeth

When you replace missing teeth with a bridge versus implants, the prosthetic piece is held in place by the existing teeth on either side of the space. This requires grounding, essentially damaging, the anchor teeth.

To learn more about the benefits of dental implants, schedule an appointment with Dr. Freeman by calling our office or using the convenient online booking tool for your dental implant consultation.