When you lose a tooth, part of your jawbone no longer needs to provide support. The tooth and root structure of the tooth is no longer present, and eventually the jawbone begins to deteriorate. This deterioration does not happen overnight, but is a concern for anyone who has missing teeth. For patients with some missing teeth, options include a partial denture or a conventional crown and bridge connected to existing teeth on either side of the missing tooth or teeth. Dental bridges and partial dentures do no prevent bone loss. Dental implants are the only tooth replacement solution that can protect your dental health by simulating your natural tooth and tooth root structure.
An implant is a cylinder made of non-reactive material titanium that is surgically placed into bone. This implant establishes a foundation for a replacement tooth or teeth that are digitally created to match the patients existing teeth. Implants are surgically inserted into the jaw bone, and then the implants are given time to heal and integrate with the jaw; then a crown is placed onto the implant and crowns, bridges and attachments for dentures can be placed.
For patients who have lost all their teeth, a denture can be made, but over time the bone that supports the denture wears down, resulting in poor fit. As an alternative, surgical implants provide a stable foundation for fixed, permanent replacement teeth.
Implants may be surgically inserted into bone (endosteal implants) or it may rest over the bone (subperiosteal implants).
The dental officies of Dr. Steve Hahn are fully trained in prosthodontics – the dental specialty concerned with restoring optimum function of your teeth, as well as the appearance of your face and smile. Dr. Hahn is fully trained in using the most advanced materials and techniques in prosthodontics. These options make it possible to restore broken, decayed, worn and discolored teeth to a natural state of beauty and strength. You can enhance the beauty of your smile by replacing stained, chipped, missing or worn teeth by a variety of methods including whitening, veneers, crowns and implant-supported teeth.