Dental Implants

What are dental implants?

When you are missing teeth, the most natural replacement is a dental implant. A dental implant consists of a root form that is placed in the jaw by a surgeon. A false tooth is then placed over this.

The diagram on the right illustrates this.

When done by a dental artist like Dr. Malone, the result looks so natural that it’s difficult to tell from a real tooth.

Advantages of dental implants

• Replacing a single missing tooth without a dental implant requires the use of a dental bridge. This means that the teeth on either side of the missing tooth would have to be prepared for crowns. If those teeth are healthy, it seems a shame to trim down healthy teeth that could otherwise be left alone.
• If all the teeth are missing, dental implants are the only way to restore normal chewing function. The alternative, removable dentures, move around in the mouth, can come loose, and can promote sores in the mouth.
• Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth.
• When your teeth are missing, your body dissolves away the bone that used to support those teeth. This leads to facial collapse. Dental implants, since they are anchored in the bone, stimulate the bone so that it isn’t dissolved away. The diagram below illustrates facial collapse. Notice in the lower picture how the upper lip is sunken in, the entire lower face is shortened, and wrinkles have appeared.

Facial Collapse

When a patient is suffering from facial collapse, not only has their appearance been adversely affected, but it becomes impossible to function adequately. There is nothing to hold the dentures in place, and eating becomes very difficult. However, once facial collapse has occured, missing bone can be grafted in and dental implants can restore function.