When you lose a tooth, the blow to your confidence can keep you from enjoying your life like you should. While replacing your tooth is a worthy goal, you need to make sure you choose the option that offers the best chance of having a long-term replacement. A dental implant will be as strong or stronger than your natural teeth and will even behave like a natural tooth would. 

What Is a Dental Implant?

Just as the name suggests a dental implant is a tooth that is implanted into your jawbone. To make this happen, a dental surgeon will peel back your gums to expose the jawbone. The dentist will then drill a hole into the jawbone and insert a titanium post into the hole thus made. Titanium is used in making implants because not only is it a supremely durable metal, but is also non-reactive, so you don't have to worry about adverse reactions between the post and your body. The post acts as a root, but before the dentist can complete the procedure, the bone has to heal around the implant for six months. Once the post is securely in place, the dentist will cement a porcelain crown to the base of the post, and you have a tooth that looks just like the tooth it is meant to replace.

What Are the Benefits of Receiving a Dental Implant?

A dental implant is not the only way to replace a tooth; you could also receive a bridge. In the case of a bridge, you can have the whole procedure done in one visit, but your replacement tooth will be held in place by wires that suspend it from the teeth to either side of the crown. A dental implant is rooted directly to your jawbone, so you don't have to worry that biting down on a kernel of popcorn will bend or break the wires that hold it place. Similarly, you can chew sticky foods or bite into an apple without worrying about compromising your replacement tooth. Furthermore, the pressure that chewing places on your tooth will travel down the post and stimulate bone growth just like your natural teeth would. Thus, an implant will provide a secure replacement that promotes dental health in ways that a bridge could not. 

While you have to invest time and money to receive a dental implant, you get a natural-looking and durable replacement. If you have the choice among tooth replacement options, choose a dental implant. Contact a company like Northwest Dental Services and Implant Center for more information.

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