What are dental implants? Watch our educational video for an easy to understand summary of dental implants and how they can benefit you.

Today, dental implants are the standard of care for patients seeking to replace one or more missing teeth. An implant is a threaded, metal or ceramic post that is surgically placed in the jaw bone to substitute the root structure of a missing tooth.

Implants are used to replace a single tooth, several teeth or to support dentures. What makes a dental implant so strong is that the jaw bone fuses around it and holds it in place.

Unreplaced missing teeth are like when a book is pulled from the middle of a bookshelf, all the other books collapse around the space. With no tooth to support and stimulate the tissues, the bone is reabsorbed into the body and the surround teeth drift, altering the bit.

A big benefit of dental implants is they service to stabilize, protect, and preserve the surrounding teeth and tissue. A tooth’s root works to support the bone and tissue in the mouth. Another advantage of implants is that they last a long time.

Did you know? The dental implant that was placed in the very first patient lasted more than 40 years, until the end of the patient’s life!

Implants restore your smile and your confidence, improve your oral health and eliminate discomfort.

If a missing tooth is left untreated serious complications can arise, sometimes leading to more extensive treatments in the future.

Missing tooth complications:

• Changes in your bite
• Causes healthy teeth to decay
• Makes chewing difficult
• Shifts teeth next to and above it (drifting)
• Affects speech
• Causes bone loss
• Changes facial features
• May cause you to hide your smile

Talk to Dr. Christopher Walker at Alamo Heights Implant Center if you need to replace missing teeth. After a specialized exam, he will work to help you find a solution that matches your needs.

Alamo Heights Implant Center is located in Alamo Heights, San Antonio, TX 78209. Dr. Christopher Walker and his team treat patients from Alamo Heights, Terrell Heights, Olmos Park, The Dominion, & Downtown San Antonio. Specializing in dental implants, gum surgery, gummy smile reconstruction, bone grafting, sinus lifts, and botox.