Dental Implants in Missoula, MT
The loss of a tooth can make you feel embarrassed and self-conscious. Eating comfortably can be a challenge, you have to deal with a noticeable gap in your smile, and you may feel ashamed that you let your oral health deteriorate.
At Cornerstone Dental, we offer dental implants, a tooth replacement solution that eliminates these problems and leaves you with a healthier smile. Implants have been used successfully for over 40 years and have become the tooth replacement solution of choice for dentists and patients.
What Is a Dental Implant?
You may know about dental implants but are not sure what they do or how they work. Most people don’t realize that a dental implant is actually comprised of three pieces:
Implant Post: The foundation of an implant is a very small titanium post that’s placed surgically in the jaw by an oral surgeon. Implants use the same medical-grade titanium that has been used for decades in joint replacements.
Abutment: After the implant post heals in your jaw, our dentists will attach a connector piece called an abutment. This piece attaches the implant post to a dental restoration.
Restoration: The implant takes the place of the root of your tooth; the restoration is the visible part of the implant that provides function and restores appearance. Types of restorations we can use are dental crowns, bridges, or dentures.
Why Choose Dental Implants?
A common problem with tooth loss is deterioration of bone in the jaw. The presence of a healthy tooth root stimulates surrounding bone to keep regenerating. When a tooth is lost, this process stops, and the bone will resorb back into the body.
After the implant post is placed in your jaw, a process called osseointegration begins. Since titanium is biocompatible, your body easily accepts it. During the healing process, the implant integrates fully with surrounding bone and tissue and becomes part of your dental structure. When this occurs, bone loss comes to a halt since the implant is functioning similarly to the lost tooth root.
How Does the Implant Process Work?
Our dentists will refer you to a top oral surgeon in our area who has expertise in placing dental implants. The implant will be placed in your jaw and left to heal for several months.
During this time, our dentists will monitor your progress, and when healing is complete, a custom restoration will be made for you.
Please Call to Learn More
Implants are still fairly new to most people, but they have been used for decades and have an impressive 95% success rate. If you would like to see whether you are a good candidate for dental implants, please call Cornerstone Dental. We will be happy to arrange a consultation with one of our dentists to discuss the benefits of implants as well as our other tooth replacement options.
