Is a missing tooth threatening the appearance, strength, and functionality of your smile? Your Lumberton, NC, dentist, Dr. Colin Osborne, has the answer: state-of-the-art dental implants. True artificial teeth from root to crown, dental implants fill smile gaps, keeping your smile whole.
How Dental Implants Work
The basic dental implant has three distinct components:
- A titanium metal root (cylindrical or screw-like)
- A metal alloy extension post (also called an abutment)
- A custom-crafted porcelain crown
Your Lumberton, NC, dentist places the titanium root into directly into the jaw bone under the gums. As the site heals over the next weeks to months, something amazing happens. The jaw bone bonds to the implant, creating a sturdy foundation for the rest of the artificial tooth. This bonding process is called osseointegration.
Besides supporting a single tooth, dental implants may be placed strategically in the jaw to support multi-tooth bridgework or fixed or removable dentures. Osseointegration provides the same stability and bone-building, results for these larger prosthetics as it does for the single-tooth implant.
Can you get Dental Implants?
Most adults can receive dental implants to fill gaps caused by:
- Decay
- Gum disease
- Accidental loss
- Congenital absence of teeth
However, only Dr. Osborne can tell you if you're a candidate. When you come in for an evaluation, he'll examine your teeth and gums, as you must have adequate jawbone density to support dental implants.
If your bone is thin, you may be able to undergo augmentation procedures to build up your jawbone. As Harvard Health reports, many implant devices are small in diameter and shorter, making them appropriate for individuals with less bone in their jaws.
Children and teens do not make good candidates because their jaw bones are not finished growing.
The success of Dental Implants
The Journal of Oral Implantology reports dental implant success rates as high as 98 percent. Failure is rare, as long as you are diligent about oral hygiene, stop tobacco usage, and avoid teeth clenching and grinding.
Learn More
Dr. Osborne is a highly credentialed implant dentist and a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantology.
Dr. Osborne and his team invite you to consult with them about dental implants and your smile. After all, information helps you make the best possible health decisions. To schedule your appointment, call our Lumberton, NC, office at (910) 738-9396.