Dental implants are the missing tooth replacement that is closest to nature. They are solid and long-lasting, and the most conservative. And Dallas area dentist Dr. Marc Whitmore has successfully placed hundreds of them.
They have two parts. There is a titanium root form that is anchored in the bone, much the same as your tooth root. It is made of titanium because that is the most biocompatible metal we know of. Then, on top of that root form, as you can see in the diagram on the right, is a crown, which is made to replicate the visible part of your tooth.
They are placed in two steps. The first step is surgical, the placing of the root form. Dr. Whitmore offers patients a distinct advantage in this phase because he is thoroughly trained and experienced in implant surgery. Not only does this offer a convenience to patients, since they don't have to have a separate examination and treatment by a different dentist, but it eliminates mistakes such as the implant being placed in a position that doesn't work out well for the final restoration. Dr. Whitmore knows exactly where to place them.
The root form then needs some healing time for the bone to grow around it and anchor it. This healing time varies from patient to patient. When it is healed, the dental implant is ready for a crown. The crown is shaped to your bite and matched to the appearance of your other teeth so that it looks just like a natural tooth. The gum grows around it and it becomes very difficult for others to tell that it isn't a real tooth.
For a single tooth replacement, with a bridge, it is required to prepare the two adjacent teeth for crowns. They have to be ground down. Especially if these are otherwise healthy teeth, this seems a shame. For a dental implant, you don't need to alter any other teeth. And if you have a bridge and later have a problem with one of the anchor teeth, usually the entire bridge needs to be replaced.
For multiple teeth replacement, an important advantage is that dental implants help retain the existing bone. When teeth are missing, your body senses the loss and begins to dissolve away the bone that used to support those teeth, using the minerals elsewhere in the body. When all your teeth are missing, this results in what is called facial collapse. Over a period of about ten years, the jawbone shrinks to where there is practically nothing left. It becomes very difficult at that point to retain a denture. Chewing can become troublesome. Some people in this situation try to never eat in public because it is too embarrassing.
Even before facial collapse occurs, a removable complete denture is a serious compromise. Chewing efficiency is reduced by 50 to 75 percent. You can't enjoy foods you used to, and your diet and health are compromised. Dental implants can restore your full chewing ability.
If you’d like to discuss replacing your missing teeth with dental implants, contact us today. Our convenient Plano location, near Presbyterian Hospital and the North Dallas Tollway, also serves patients in Richardson, Frisco, Carrollton, and Addison.
