Dental implants offer the most durable and least-damaging method of replacing teeth. Implants are essentially artificial tooth roots, placed in the jaw bone, and then used to support new teeth. If only one tooth is missing, or if all your teeth are missing… it doesn’t matter; implants can be used to treat any situation.
Implants are made of titanium, and the body likes titanium. Bone heals directly against the implant surface, locking it into place so it integrates as a part of you.
If you have lost all your teeth, you don’t need one implant per tooth. Normally its possible to do a whole set, upper or lower, on 4 to 6 implants, each jaw.
However, just like putting a screw into a piece of wood, you need enough bone to put the implant into. Part of the assessment process is to make sure you have enough bone available. If you haven’t, all is not lost; there are techniques for every eventuality!
Many people have a deteriorated set of natural teeth that they’re not proud of, and often they are terrified of having them out and wearing dentures. This is one of the best things about this process; in most people the teeth can be removed and implants put in at the same time, on the same day! In the majority of cases we can place implants in the morning and progress to temporary teeth on those implants, later in the day.