What Are Dental Implants?
A natural tooth consists of a root and a crown. If you compare natural teeth to implant-supported replacement teeth, you’ll see they have the same basic parts. Both have a crown (the visible part used to chew food). Both have a root that holds the tooth securely under the gum and is anchored into the jaw. The difference is that the implant is made of titanium — the same time-tested material used by surgeons for artificial joints. When you lose a tooth, you lose both the root and the crown. To replace the tooth, the root is replaced with a dental implant.
Dental implant placement is a team effort between an oral surgeon or periodontist and prosthodontist. The surgeon performs any tooth extractions, the implant surgery, and any necessary bone grafting. Dr. D. Fritz or Dr. J. Fritz provide a surgical guide, the temporary prosthesis to be worn throughout the process, and the final prosthesis. We work closely with all the oral surgeons and periodontists in the Quad Cities.
Time is allowed for bone to heal and grow around the dental implant. The bone bonds with the titanium, creating a strong foundation for artificial teeth. Most patients wear a removable prosthesis to replace the missing tooth, or teeth, while the implant is healing. A support post (abutment) is then placed on the implant and a new replacement tooth (crown) is placed on top of the abutment. If all of your teeth are missing, a variety of treatment options are available to support the replacement teeth.