Dental implants are now the standard of care in dentistry for permanently replacing missing teeth. They are made of titanium and do not decay, giving the patient a long-term solution to a space in their smile or bite. Dental implants are metal frames or posts which are surgically positioned into the jawbone under your gums. They are used to mount replacement teeth to address a variety of dental needs.

Implants fuse to your jawbone and provide support for replacement teeth. If your jawbone can’t support dental implants, the doctor will perform a bone graft. Bone from another location of your body, or a special grafting material, will be used to strengthen your jawbone. Once your jawbone is healed, the dental implant procedure may be performed.

Unlike dentures and bridges, dental implants don’t shift or slip. This improves your ability to speak and eat. Dental implants feel more natural than conventional dentures or bridges.

Implant Bridges allow for replacement of 3 or more teeth in a row, allowing patients to chew and smile with confidence. Instead of securing the bridge to the abutting teeth, implants are placed at each end of the implant bridge to secure it.

An implant bridge is comprised of three main components. The implant is surgically placed into your jawbone and is made of titanium. The abutment is screwed onto the implant and is made from gold, porcelain, or titanium. The restoration is the part which looks like teeth. They are a series of crowns made of porcelain and fused to a metal substructure.

Depending on the condition of your jawbone, receiving dental implant bridges may take just a few months, or up to a year. If your jawbone is not strong enough to support the implants you doctor will do a bone graft. Once your jawbone has healed, two more surgeries are needed. The first one is to place the implant. After your gums heal, the second surgery is done to place the bridge. Once the implant bridge is placed you will have a permanent restoration which will last for several years.

Implant Supported Dentures are the standard of care in dentistry for replacing an entire arch of teeth. The implants act as anchors for the dentures to “snap” onto, giving much greater stability for chewing and speaking. Unlike traditional dentures, implant supported dentures do not slip or slide out of position making them the most natural feeling choice for the replacement of your natural teeth.

Implant supported dentures can be placed in both the upper and lower jaw if you have enough bone to support them. Special attachments support the denture which is snapped into place. You can remove the dentures at night and to clean them.

Implant supported dentures come in two types: bar-retained and ball-retained. Both types have an acrylic base which looks like gums with porcelain or acrylic teeth that are attached to the base. Two supports are needed for both types of dentures.

Bar-retained dentures use two to five implants which are attached to a thin metal bar that follows the curve of your jaw. Attachments or clips are fitted to the bar. The denture is then fitted over the bar and clipped into place with the attachments.

Ball-retained dentures (also known as stud-attachment dentures) use implants which are placed into the jaw and have a metal attachment which fits into an attachment in the denture. The attachments have a male, the ball, and a female, the socket, which hold the dentures into place.

Implant supported dentures give you a secure and natural feeling option for dentures.

When patients want an entire arch of teeth replaced, but do not want to have to remove the appliance, All on Four is the best solution to gain the utmost stability and esthetics. This involves the placement of four (or more) implants in an arch, and permanent attachment of the appliance to the implants.