Opal Family Dental | Family & Cosmetic Dentistry | Glen Mills, PA
Dental Implants
Wooden dentures were used to replace George Washington’s teeth! Dentistry has come a long way since then. Nowadays, when you are missing one or more teeth, there are many methods to replace them which include removable appliances, fixed bridges and implants.
If you are missing your tooth and want to restore your tooth while keeping your great smile, then visit Opal Family Dental in Glen Mills, PA.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants can be thought as artificial tooth roots. They are similar in shape to screws. When dental implants are placed in your jawbone, they bond with your natural bone and become a sturdy base for supporting artificial teeth. These artificial teeth are called crowns. This implant is often made of titanium.
Why should I consider having dental implants?
Removable dentures are not permanently fixed in place. Because of that they can often move around during speaking and eating. Also, over time the bone that supports the denture shrinks which makes it even more difficult to support a denture.
Implants are also advantageous over fixed bridges. This is especially true when the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth are health. Implants replace the missing tooth or teeth while leaving all adjacent teeth unchanged.
Five facts about dental implants
- Ancient dental implants have been traced back to around 600 AD, when tooth-like pieces of shell were hammered into the jaw of a Mayan woman
- Dental implants are the only dental restoration option that preserves natural bone, actually helping to stimulate bone growth.
- 3 million people in the United States have implants, a number that is growing by 500,000 annually.
- In 1951, a small group of dentists who were successfully placing dental implants formed the AAID – American Academy of Implant Dentistry – to share their knowledge on the practice of implantology. AAID is the first professional organization in the world dedicated to advancing implant dentistry.
- In 1952, Swedish orthopedic surgeon P.I. Branemark discovered that titanium naturally fuses with bone, eventually switching his research focus to the mouth from the knee and hip.