What is a dental implant? - Astra Tech - Dental Patient Education Resources

What is a dental implant?
Whether you need to replace a single tooth or many teeth, dental implants can provide a permanent solution that will let you smile, laugh and enjoy your favorite foods with confidence.
Dental implants are specially-made titanium screws placed in the jawbone to serve as a firm foundation for a new tooth or denture that looks and feels completely natural.
Is a dental implant right for you?
Talk with your dentist. Implants can provide a permanent and esthetically pleasing alternative to bridgework or dentures. In most cases, it is impossible to distinguish an implant-supported tooth from a natural tooth. Dental implants:
- Look and feel like natural teeth
- Allow you to speak, smile eat with confidence - unlike many bridges and dentures that often loosen and cause embarrassment
- Require no special care, just brushing and flossing like your natural teeth
What steps are involved in getting an implant?
If you recently lost a tooth or have full or partial dentures, you might want to consider a dental implant. Getting an implant is basically a three part process:
1. An anchor - a titanium screw - is embedded in the jaw bone
2. A post is inserted into the anchor to hold an artificial tooth
3. The artificial tooth is attached to the post
In some cases, the whole procedure may require no more than two or three sessions, depending on the clinical situation. Your dentist can explain the whole procedure in detail and provide you with an estimate of time and costs.
How permanent are dental implants?
Most implant last a lifetime. Over the past 30 years, thousands of implant remain in place and still function like natural teeth.
Astra Tech is a leading manufacturer of implant systems and has sponsored over twenty clinical studies to track implant patients.
Talk to your dentist...
You probably have questions. Your dentist can answer them and, based on an analysis of your situation, tell you whether a dental implant would be right for you. To have an implant you should have healthy gums and adequate bone to support the implant.