Our doctors specialize in the sophisticated procedure required to provide a gentle and permanent replacement for missing teeth.
When patients come to Schlueter Periodontics and Implants for a consultation, we help them discover the most appropriate treatment for their unique condition and if a dental implant is a suitable restoration option. We only use the largest, most reportable dental implant companies in the world. The results give us precision fitting components for the implants.
What is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant is a small titanium screw that serves as the replacement for the root portion of a missing natural tooth. Dental implants can be placed in either the upper or lower jaws. Due to the biocompatible properties of titanium, a dental implant fuses with the bone and becomes a good anchor for the replacement tooth.
First, dental implant replacement teeth look, feel, and function like natural teeth. This means that you can eat and drink as you normally do. Second, dental implants often improve quality of life in a very evident way: people who have felt embarrassed and worried because of their tooth problems are often overwhelmed by what new permanent teeth can do for their self-esteem.
Dental Implant Benefits
There are many benefits to a dental implant for a missing tooth over conventional replacements or procedures:
● Dental implants help preserve your jawbone. The human jawbone maintains its integrity through proper stimulation from the roots of the teeth or dental implants. When a tooth is missing, that portion of the jawbone atrophies and wastes away. This is why denture wearers may have a “sunken” appearance.
● Dental implants help save adjacent teeth. Traditional replacements like bridges or partials permanently damage the teeth next to the missing tooth space. Dental implants are independent of the neighboring teeth and will not damage your natural look.
● Dental implants are a lifetime restoration. Properly placed and maintained dental implants typically last a lifetime. Crowns, bridges, and partial dentures only have an average lifespan of 5 to 10 years.
● Dental implants look and feel natural. Dental implants feel and function just like your own teeth, and there are no restrictions on the types of food you can eat. With dental implants, many find that they can return to eating the kinds of foods they’ve missed for years.
Dental implants can give you an internal “facelift.” Because dental implants restore the health and the density of your jawbones and your facial muscles can be used properly again, most patients notice a visible tightening of their face, helping to regain a youthful appearance.
Completely Metal-Free Zirconia Dental Implants
When a tooth is lost, the perfect replacement solution is to replace it with something that is as close to looking as the lost tooth. That is why a completely metal-free Zirconia dental implant may be the very best treatment option available.
Over the years, many health-conscious or metal-allergic patients have preferred to avoid titanium implanted in their bodies and have been asking for a metal-free solution. Now, for over a decade, the FDA approved Zirconia dental implants for use in the United States.
Unlike a lot of zirconia dental implants, the system that we use is fully metal-free, all the way down to the drills themselves. But that’s not the only advantage of a zirconia implant vs. a titanium one.
Should part of the implant become exposed, plaque retention on zirconia implants may be less, and the white color of the implants is far superior to the titanium gray color when considering cosmetics. The zirconia implant survival rate (>98%) is also comparable to its titanium counterpart.
If you are interested in this treatment option and want a fully boarded surgical dental implant specialist to place your next dental implant, please call our office to schedule an evaluation appointment and let us know you are interested in this treatment option.
