Dental implants, or tooth implants, are cosmetic procedures that can replace teeth that have fallen out or dead teeth inside the mouth. This video will give an overview of dental implants and how they are done.
Picture your teeth and small trees or plants. Plants and trees need roots to grow properly. Just like plants, your dental crowns (the visible part of the teeth) need stable roots to be healthy.
A dental implant provides a prosthetic dental crown that is screwed into place by an implant fixture, which acts as the root of the tooth. To figure out the right implant, your dentist will first examine your mouth and gums with an x-ray.
The x-ray will provide important information on the length of implant fixture needed. It varies based on the location of the alveolar nerve. The dentist will order the best fixture for you, clear out the area of the implant, and screw it into place.
The dentist then fixes a scanner to the top of the implant to get a three-dimensional image of your mouth and the surrounding teeth. They will use this to design a custom dental implant to fit perfectly in your mouth.
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