Dental implants are a permanent solution to restore missing teeth and maintain your dental health for decades to come.
Implants are small pieces of metal, usually titanium, that are placed directly into the jaw bone. Once placed, the bone fuses with the implants to permanently anchor them into your jaw. Implants serve to replace the roots of missing teeth, maintaining bone health and stabilizing the fit of bridges, dentures, or crowns.
Why Choose Implants?
The major benefit of dental implants is that they replace the tooth root, not just the visible part of your teeth. This has numerous benefits to your oral health:
Prevents bone loss: When a natural tooth is missing, the body will no longer maintain the bone structure in the surrounding jaw. This causes the cheeks, lips, and jaw to appear collapsed and affects the health of the rest of your teeth.
Purely cosmetic tooth replacements do not stop this process because they’re not anchored into the jaw bone. Implants are the only way to stimulate the bone again--protecting against bone loss, additional tooth loss, and the collapsing of the lower face.
Stabilizes replacement teeth: Your new teeth will be more stable when they're anchored by implants, rather than simply placed over your gums. You won’t have to worry so much about your bridge breaking, or your dentures slipping while you’re talking or eating. Implants give your new teeth the most stable and functional fit.
Durable and permanent: For many people, dental implants will last for a lifetime. The titanium implants fuse with the bone and anchor them just as strongly as natural teeth.
Contraindications
Some people have existing health conditions that can make the implant procedure ineffective or dangerous. Common conditions include:
- Periodontitis (gum disease)
- Excessive bone loss in the jaw
- Malignant cancer
- Immunosuppression
- Bleeding disorders
- Diabetes
- Risk of stroke or heart attack
Homer Dental Implants
James Bourne, D.D.S. is a Homer dentist who performs safe and effective dental implant procedures to replace your missing teeth. To talk with Dr. Bourne about how implants can help give you back your smile, request your appointment now or call (907) 235-8574 today.