Why Single-Tooth Dental Implants Are the Gold Standard for Replacing Missing Teeth

The goal is to save natural teeth whenever possible, but sometimes a tooth is too decayed or damaged and must come out. Replacing the tooth can prevent further problems. 

Michael Nichols, DMD, MD, and his team at Oral & Facial Surgery of Mississippi want to help if you ever need a tooth replaced. We offer multiple options, but single-tooth implants are the gold standard. They offer stability, comfort, and longevity and support good oral health. 

Implant basics

How do implants differ from other tooth replacement options? Most importantly, the implant replaces the part of your tooth you can see and the part you can’t, the tooth root. Other options, such as bridges and partial dentures, only replace the visible part of your tooth. 

Getting a dental implant requires multiple visits. First, Dr. Nichols ensures your jawbone is healthy enough to support your implant. If it’s not, you may first need a bone graft. 

When your jawbone is healthy enough, Dr. Nichols installs a titanium post. That’s the implant. Over time, your jawbone heals around the post, which serves as a prosthetic tooth root. It may be completely beneath your gum tissue. 

The time you need to heal varies, but you can expect 1-4 follow-up visits. During one of these, Dr. Nichols attaches an abutment post to the implant. This post allows the gum tissue to heal around the post and provides access to the implant. 

The next step is placing a crown on the abutment, giving you full use of your prosthetic tooth. 

The benefits of implants

Dental implants are the gold standard in tooth replacement because of the many benefits compared to other replacement options. Those benefits include: 

Stability and comfort

Dentures and bridges can rub or feel uncomfortable. They may slip when you eat. Implants don’t move and are generally more comfortable. 

Longevity

With proper care, your implant should last a lifetime. You may need a new crown at some point, but crowns are durable, so you might not. 

Bone health

Perhaps the most significant reason implants work so well is they act like natural tooth roots and stimulate your jawbone. In the year following the loss of a tooth, you can lose as much as a third of the thickness of your jawbone. 

Each time you bite down, the roots of your teeth stimulate blood flow to your jawbone. That blood brings nourishment to the bone, keeping it healthy and strong. An implant provides that same stimulation, limiting bone loss. 

If you need to replace a missing tooth, schedule an appointment at Oral & Facial Surgery of Mississippi in Flowood, Mississippi. Dr. Nichols is happy to discuss your situation and suggest the best course of care.