Titanium Implants

A titanium implant can be surgically placed into the jawbone where teeth are missing. It replaces the root of a natural tooth, bonding with the jawbone to create a strong and sturdy foundation for replacement teeth.

Once an implant has fully integrated with the surrounding bone, a crown is attached to the implant, recreating the natural structure, function, and aesthetics of the original tooth. Because the implants fuse with a patient’s jawbone: the implants won’t slip, make noise, or cause bone damage the way fixed bridgework or dentures sometimes can. Additionally, since the implants are made of titanium, they cannot decay like natural teeth.

Over the years, multiple procedures and prosthetics have been developed to replicate missing teeth, but none have been more successful than the dental implant. Dentures and bridges are popular alternative treatment options to the dental implant due to their lower upfront costs and quicker completion times, but over time tend to be more expensive due to their respective replacement costs and more challenging care and maintenance. Dental Implants are designed to last a lifetime with proper care while providing superior comfort compared to other tooth replacement options available.

Dental implants are intimately connected with the soft tissues (i.e., gums) and underlying hard tissues (i.e., bone) in the mouth. Since periodontists such as Dr. Jason West have years of specialized training beyond dental school to make them experts on both soft and hard tissues; they have the ideal combination of experience and knowledge to make sure you get a dental implant solution that looks and feels like your own teeth.

In general, dental implants may be right for you if you:

• Have one or more missing teeth
• Have a jawbone that’s reached full growth
• Have adequate bone to secure the implants or are able to have a bone graft
• Have healthy oral tissues
• Don’t have health conditions that will affect bone healing
• Are unable or unwilling to wear dentures
• Want to improve your speech