What Are Dental Implants Chapel Hill, NC

Dental implants are now the most sophisticated way to replace missing teeth. They are the only long-term solution for tooth loss and the second-best option after natural teeth. Dr. James Furgurson and Dr. Nathan White are top dental implant dentists in Chapel Hill, NC. They have helped many patients restore their oral health with implant-supported restorations. Let’s discuss what dental implants are and how they can restore your smile.

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are dental devices that secure false teeth and replace the root structure of missing teeth. An implant is a titanium post that looks like a screw. Titanium is a metal used inside the human body. It is a safe, medical-grade, biocompatible material.

A dentist surgically places titanium implants into the jawbone during implant treatment. There, the implants will fuse with the surrounding jawbone. Implants serve as anchors or posts for dental restorations. They replace missing tooth roots, holding crowns, bridges, and dentures in place.

Many types of dental implants are available in various lengths and diameters. These implants can accommodate the different locations along the upper and lower arches of bone.

• Standard dental implant: A dental implant is about 3.4 mm to 4.2 mm in diameter. Dentists typically use them in the front of the mouth because they are skinny and short. Patients with a weakened jawbone benefit from standard dental implants.
• Wide platform dental implant: This type of implant is between 4.5 mm and 6 mm in diameter. Dentists use them in the back of the mouth. Wide-platform dental implants can support molars.
• Mini dental implant: A mini implant is narrow, with a diameter ranging from 1.8 mm to 3.3 mm. Dentists may recommend a mini implant if there is less room between the roots or when a patient does not have enough bone density. Often, patients can get mini dental implants without a bone graft.

The Parts of a Dental Implant

Before you receive one or more dental implants, you should know the components of your implant restoration. There are three main parts of the dental implant:

Implant Post

The implant post is the first part of an implant-supported dental restoration. A dentist surgically inserts this fixture into the jawbone, where it acts as the new tooth root and supports the new, fake teeth. It takes a few months to fuse completely with the surrounding bone. Patients may require 1-8 implants per arch to support their restoration.

Abutment

After the implant posts fuse with the jawbone, your dentist will attach a small metal piece, the abutment, to the posts. This involves minor surgery in which the dentist will uncover the implants to connect them. Sometimes, they may use a healing abutment.

The dentist will place the healing abutment on the implant immediately. In this circumstance, a second minor surgery is not necessary. Instead, the dentist will simply replace the healing abutment with the permanent one.

Dental Restoration

A dental restoration replaces missing teeth. It is the last thing your dentist will place to complete your new smile. The type of restoration you need will depend on how many teeth you are missing.

• Dr. Furgurson or Dr. White will use a single dental implant to replace one missing tooth. They will secure the implant with a dental crown as the replacement tooth. A crown is a tooth-colored cap, typically made of porcelain materials to match other natural teeth in the smile.
• For multiple consecutive missing teeth, they will place at least two dental implant posts in the jawbone. Then, our dentists will design and place a custom-made dental bridge over the implants. A dental bridge consists of a row of multiple teeth.
• Our dentists may use up to eight dental implants to secure a custom-made, full modern denture for a row of missing teeth. Denture implants can replace a full set of teeth. You can receive a partial or a complete denture. Partial dentures replace rows of teeth in different parts of the smile. Complete dentures restore both the top and bottom rows of teeth.