Center for Implant and Reconstructive Dentistry
Dental Implants: Are They for Me?
By Thomas D. Taylor, D.D.S., M.S.D., and William R. Laney, D.M.D., M.S.
What Is a Dental Implant?
Click on images for detailed views.
When natural teeth are missing from
the mouth, artificial substitutes to replace the root portion
of teeth are put into the bone and gums of the mouth.
Replacement teeth are then fixed onto these new roots. Dental
implants allow people who are missing teeth to be able to smile,
speak, and chew well and comfortably.
These pages will help you understand the
benefits and risks involved with dental implants. Your dentist
can give you complete information on your specific situation and
help you decide if dental implants are for you.
Are Dental Implants for Me?
Are you missing all natural teeth in one or both jaws?
Are you missing one or more teeth in a jaw?
Are you having difficulty wearing a regular removable
denture because you gag, find the denture is too bulky, feel
pain, or generally dislike something movable in the mouth?
Do you have an oral defect or missing mouth part because
of an injury, surgery to treat disease, or birth defect?
If you answered yes to any of the above conditions or
preferences, you may be a candidate for dental implants.
Your age generally will not prevent the placement or use of
dental implants. However, pre-adolescent or very elderly persons
may not be good candidates for treatment.
What Is the Typical Course of Implant Treatment?
On the following pages, a description is given of how implants
are placed in the mouth. The type of implant shown is the
endosseous implant, because it is the most common and
probably the most successful type of implant used today.
Treatment for your individual situation may vary, and your
dentist will discuss this with you.
All material is copyrighted by Quintessence Publishing Co., Inc. and reproduced with permission. |
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