There is little doubt that a perfect set of teeth is a wonderful thing to have and the loss of one or more can at times shatter the confidence of the individual. Having been able to display a big open smile is no longer possible; smiles have to be made behind ones hand. Not only are missing teeth socially embarrassing, they make a person look older. Most tooth replacement relies on some sort of bridge or denture; however, dental implants in Middletown MA are a better solution.
Dentures and bridgework are not permanently affixed in the mouth, whereas a dental implant is. The dentist employs a surgical procedure to literally fuse a replacement tooth directly to the jawbone; the result is a permanent, natural looking tooth. Dental implants can last the lifetime of the patient, because it does not require any more maintenance than the other teeth, in a very short time the person forgets it’s there.
Dental implants in Middletown MA can be fixed directly into the bone or placed on top of the jaw. Endosteal implants are fixed to the bone and each implant normally carries one tooth but can often carry multiple teeth. The implants are implanted using screws, cylinders or blades.
Subperiosteal implants on the other hand fit on top of the jaw; the metal protrudes through the jaw and holds the tooth. This type of implant is favored when people have minimal bone height and cannot wear dentures.
For a person with the right amount of jaw bone, the chances of a successful implant are as good as 100%. There are many reasons why implants are superior to other methods of tooth replacement; chief among them is that there is no gum shrinkage over time. There is no need for adjacent teeth to become involved as is the case with dentures and bridges.
Implants can be for one tooth, a series of teeth or for every tooth for that matter. The number of implants is generally determined by the health and quantity of jaw bone available. In many cases the amount of bone in the upper back of the jaw is less than the rest of the mouth and as a result, these upper back teeth are not good candidates for implanting.