If you have several missing teeth in your mouth, your dentist might recommend installing dental implants. A dental implant is the best form of tooth replacement for many reasons, and dentists can use them to replace any of your missing teeth. When several teeth are missing, there is a chance your dentist will be able to fix the problem with just one implant. Here are several things to understand about implants and using them to replace missing teeth.

The Components of a Dental Implant

If you are not familiar with dental implants, a good place to start is learning about the three main components they contain:

1. The implant – A dental implant consists of three components, and the implant itself is the first one. This is the part that is installed first, and it is placed inside your jawbone. After the jawbone fuses to it, the dentist can move on to the second step. The purpose of the implant is to hold the artificial tooth in place.
2. The titanium post – After the implant and bone fuse together, the dentist will insert a titanium post to the implant. This is just a small post that attaches the tooth to the implant.
3. The tooth (also called a crown) – The final step is placing an artificial tooth to the post. This is the only part of the implant you will see, and it will look just like a natural tooth.

The dental implant process can take months to complete, and this is primarily because fusion of the bone and implant takes time. This fusion is important, though, because it holds the tooth securely in place, and this cannot happen if the two parts are not fused together completely.

How Dentists Handle Multiple Implants

If you are missing more than one tooth, the dentist may need to install several implants or just one. This will depend on the location of the missing teeth. For example, if you have two missing teeth, one on each side of your mouth, the dentist will need to install a separate implant for each of these.

When a person is missing two or three teeth in a row, the process is slightly different. The dentist might be able to place just one implant in the jawbone and use it to support several artificial teeth. If this is possible, the costs for the implants will be lower. This is often a possibility simply because implants are extremely strong, and they can typically support two or three artificial teeth.

If your upper or lower jaw do not have any teeth, your dentist might be able to replace your entire arch with just six to eight implants. The dentist will space these out according and make an entire set of crowns to attach to the implants.

The Benefits of Implants

Getting dental implants is considered the best option in most cases because implants are the closest thing to natural teeth. The implants in the jaws serve as anchors, similar to tooth roots, and this makes the teeth work just like natural teeth. With dental implants, you should be able to eat almost anything you would like, and these teeth will never rot.

In addition, having dental implants can boost your self-esteem and confidence, and they can help you speak better. When speaking, your tongue touches your teeth, and this helps you articulate sounds. Without having all your teeth, this process can be harder to do.

Dental implants can last for an entire lifetime if you care for them. If you are sick of the way your mouth looks because of your missing teeth, contact an implant dentist at offices like Pittsburgh Dental Spa to learn about your options.