A dental implant is a titanium screw that is surgically placed in the jaw. The jaw bone can't tell the difference between the implant and itself, and bone grows around the titanium, making it as strong as a natural tooth. Once the implant site has healed, we top the implant body with a crown, and the patient can eat, drink, brush and floss as if they have a natural tooth in that space.

Obviously, infection and trauma aren't the only two reasons for missing teeth.  Congenitally missing teeth are the next most popular reason for implants. Surprisingly, one in five Americans are born without their lateral incisors, which are normally on either side of the two central front teeth. Since these teeth don't exist, the rest of the upper teeth move to make up for their absence. Holding a space open for the future implant is extremely important for our pre-teen and teenaged patients; we do that with a retainer that keeps the teeth apart. We can also place two "false teeth" on the retainer, so our patients maintain their self-esteem! Later, when they have all their adult teeth, they can choose an implant.

Missing several teeth, or considering a full or partial denture? Implant supported dentures are the wave of the future. We place several implants on the upper or lower jaw (or both) that anchor in the denture. This allows two things: first, absolute confidence and function for the wearer; second, no need for the denture to cover the roof of the mouth. Not only can the denture wearer eat literally *anything* (corn on the cob, fruit, chewy meats, etc), they can also fully taste their meals. Traditional dentures might slip, and didn't allow the tongue to touch the roof of the mouth - which sparks the taste buds. Our implant-supported denture patients have shown remarkable health improvements from the re-introduction of healthy foods into their diets, something we've found incredibly rewarding.