• A dental implant is a man-made replacement for a tooth root, which is essentially a tiny titanium post that will fill the role played by a natural tooth root.

•  Because of the very unique design of dental implants, they become securely attached to your jawbone through a process called "osseointegration". 

•  After a waiting period allowing the bone to heal around the implant, final restorations are screwed or cemented onto the implant or an implant component.

• The final restoration is made utilizing procedures that are very similar to traditional crown, bridge and denture dentistry.

•  With Michigan Dental Implants, it is possible to replace a single tooth, multiple teeth or an entire arch of teeth.

•  For patients who are faced with losing all of their teeth, implant dentistry provides a tooth-replacement option that is much more stable and permanent than removable dentures or partials.

• Implants are constructed from titanium, a lightweight, soft, noncorroding metal.

•  The surface of the titanium forms a natural ceramic coating when exposed to oxygen which enables bone cells to attach to it.

•  Since bone cells react better to titanium surfaces that are rough, most implants are put through a process by the manufacturer which roughens the surface.

•  Surface treatment, such as a hydroxyapatite coating, work to increase the bone/implant contact.  Hydroxyapatite is a material that acts as a component of bone necessary for the implant to fuse to the jaw bone.  The fusion process is called osseointegration.

•  Under clinical observation, an osseointegrated implant will feel solid.  No mobility will be present.

•  When an implant fails to osseointegrate, slight mobility will be present.  In such cases, the bone surface is separated from the implant surface by a thin, fibrous membrane which may be visible with careful x-ray analysis.

•  A waiting period is required for successful osseointegration to occur because a complex series of events must occur.

 A Closer Look at Osseointegration

The term osseointegration describes the attachment of bone to the surface of an implant.  

 The events leading to osseointegration begin at the time of implant placement with the formation of a blood clot between the bone and the implant.  This early event begins within the first few minutes after implant placement.  Surgical trauma causes bone cells on the surface to die and an inflammatory event begins.  Additionally, a fibrous mesh attaches to the implant.

Within weeks, bone cells begin to grow back onto the fibrous mesh, reaching the implant surface.  As these bone cells repopulate the tiny gap between the bone and the implant, they help to fabricate the components necessary for bone mineralization.

Single Tooth Implant- The State of the Art Solution 

Systemic Influences May Affect Michigan Dental Implant Prognosis 

Dental implants can provide a more advanced replacement option for replacing a missing tooth than a traditional bridge, while preserving adjacent teeth.  Dental implants do not require adjacent teeth to be ground down or modified in any way.  The implant also provides the added benefit of creating stimulation to the underlying bone.  Restoration with all-ceramic components can produce a beautiful, natural looking, translucent replacement tooth that looks almost identical to the tooth that is being replaced!

The teeth adjacent to the dental implant remain untouched - no grinding down required - leaving those teeth completely uncompromised.  The underlying bone integrity is also preserved because stimulation is restored.  Dental implants help to maintain long-lasting, cosmetically pleasing results because titanium is strong and naturally accepted by the body which leads to a high level of osseointegration.

When deciding on a dental implant and a 3-unit bridge, it is important to be educated about all of the benefits associated with choosing dental implants.  When you lose a tooth, your jawbone can shrink, aging your appearance prematurely.  Implants help to prevent this premature aging.

Like natural teeth, your newly restored dental implant will be very strong, stable and incredibly secure so you can comfortably eat all your favorite foods.  Dental implants are a long-lasting solution - often surviving for a lifetime.  Perhaps most importantly, your beautiful new teeth can give you back the confidence you may have lost when you lost your tooth.  Dental implants can absolutely transform your daily life leading to a happier, healthier new you!