A dental implant is a tooth restoration meant to restore your smile to its original vitality when one or more teeth have been lost. This frequently occurs due to periodontal disease, tooth decay or injury.  Millions of Americans are missing one or more teeth in their mouth and millions more are missing all the teeth on either their upper or lower jaws. Baby teeth lost in children will eventually grow an adult tooth in their place, but that’s not the case when an adult tooth is lost.  Once an adult tooth is gone, it’s gone. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have an even stronger replacement. At Mountain Aire Dentistry, Dr. Bockrath can provide you with a single tooth replacement or other options such as anterior, posterior or full-upper replacements. These replacements generally consist of a metal post implant being positioned into the jaw in place of your missing tooth, followed by a custom-made crown that blends with your natural teeth. These teeth last for many years, are very sturdy and can withstand high levels of biting pressure. With proper care, a dental implant can last a lifetime. So don’t miss out on your full set of teeth. Call Mountain Aire Dentistry today and let us get your smile back!

How Prevalent Is Tooth Loss?

The American Academy of Implant Dentistry reports that more than 35 million Americans are missing all of their teeth on either the upper or lower jaw. That’s not counting the millions of other Americans that are missing one or more teeth here and there. Tooth loss can come from: injury/trauma to a tooth, TMJ or bruxism, gum disease and tooth decay. Not taking care of your teeth can literally cause them to rot and fall out. Nobody wants that! The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research tells us that adults age 20 to 64 have an average of only 25 remaining teeth left. A healthy adult mouth should have 32 total teeth. Almost 4% of adults (35 million) have no remaining teeth whatsoever. The statistics for Americans missing one or more teeth are even more shocking: and estimated 178 million. If you think you are the only one to ever lose a tooth, think again! Because tooth loss is so prevalent, we have dental implants and restorations made to give you back a full set of teeth.

The Dental Implant Process

What is a dental implant? It is a tooth restoration for people who are missing one or more teeth. Dentures are the go-to option for those missing all of their teeth in either the upper or lower jaw. For tooth loss that is not as severe, dental implants are a great way to give you back your smile. These dental implant replacements generally consist of a metal post implant (usually a titanium screw) that is placed into the jaw to replace the tooth’s natural root that was lost. We allow this metal post to heal in your mouth so that the post is structurally strong and sound in preparation for a tooth. The screw will actually fuse completely with the bone of your jaw. To receive an implant and post, you must have healthy gums and adequate bone in your mouth to support the implant. (We can assess this with you at your consultation.)  We follow up the implantation of the metal post by creating a custom-made crown that blends in perfectly with your natural teeth. No one will even realize that your tooth is an implant because of how naturally it sits with your other teeth.

How Dental Implants Can Transform Your Smile

A dental implant can replace what was lost. As we said, once an adult tooth is lost, it’s lost. There won’t be one that grows in its place. That’s why we implant a tooth. Dental implants can restore your smile by giving you back all of the teeth you once had. Implants will also make your smile much stronger as they also support the surrounding teeth.  If a tooth is lost, the structure and stability of surrounding teeth suffer and that instability can lead to a cascading effect of more teeth being lost. With a dental implant, you avoid other teeth from becoming weak and falling out. Plus, cleaning your implant is the same as cleaning the rest of your teeth—normal brushing and flossing. Your implant will stay in place and will help prevent your jawbone from shrinking (as can happen when a tooth is missing for years). You will also see improved eating and chewing abilities.  After implantation, your tooth will become a normal part of you! You may forget that you even lost a tooth in the first place. Dental implants can truly be life-changing if you’ve ever lived without a tooth before!

We believe that everyone deserves a bright and beautiful smile. With all that modern technology affords us, no one has to live without their teeth. Dr. Bockrath and his staff are highly trained to provide you the best care possible when it comes to dental implants and restorations. If you are missing a tooth and want to know more about our dental implants or want to prevent tooth loss in general, give our Mountain Aire Dentistry office a call today at (303) 731-7755 for your free consultation. A full set a teeth is just one call away!