Dental Implants San Diego CA

Implant Dentistry MVSD

Dental implants can change lives. When cavities, gum disease, or injury have robbed you of your natural teeth, your bite, speech, and eating choices are likely to be affected. The remaining teeth may wear prematurely, and headaches and jaw pain may occur. Missing teeth can hurt your appearance, and this in turn can damage your self-confidence.

Implants can restore your ability to eat virtually anything. They can safeguard your bone structure, oral health, and self-esteem. 

What are dental implants?

The implants themselves are little titanium posts that are placed into sockets created in the jawbone where teeth are missing. The implants serve as substitutes for the missing natural tooth roots. Over time, the jaw bone bonds with the titanium, creating a strong foundation. The implants are connected to small metal components (known as abutments) that protrude through the gum tissue. Artificial tooth crowns (the part of the tooth that you see and eat with) can then be connected to these abutments.  

Sometimes a single implant is placed to replace a single tooth. Or implants may be inserted to replace several missing teeth — or even an entire mouthful of teeth. Implants can be placed anyplace in the mouth. The artificial teeth connected to them can be cemented, screw-retained, or removable. The end result typically feels as natural as the original teeth, looks indistinguishable, and functions comparably.

Research conducted over almost 50 years has demonstrated that modern dental implants are a safe and effective approach to tooth replacement. 

Before…

… and After

Dental Implant - Before Dental Implant - After

   

Benefits of implants

Modern dental implants:

Protect the jawbone

When a tooth is lost, the bone that once supported that tooth is no longer needed, and the body typically allows the bone to atrophy. Placing an implant in the bone can slow or even stop the bone from being resorbed.

Protect the remaining natural teeth

When one or only a few teeth are missing, implants make it unnecessary to grind down the adjacent teeth to provide support for conventional bridgework.

Protect the appearance

Shrinkage of the jawbone makes the face look older. By preventing this, implants protect the patient’s appearance. Implants often look like the teeth they replaced — or even better.

Eliminate pain and discomfort

Slippage or rocking of conventional full or partial dentures can irritate the gums and painfully expose nerves. Because implant-supported replacement teeth are anchored securely to the jawbone, they avoid causing such discomfort.

Make it possible to fully enjoy food

Even when dentures fit well, the wearers typically eat somewhat less efficiently. Shrinkage of the jawbone makes this worse. In contrast, implants enable normal eating. Because they do not cover the palate (unlike full upper dentures), they also don’t impair the ability to taste.