A dental implant is a piece of metal, not too dissimilar to a screw, that is inserted into the bone in the position of a missing tooth’s roots. Once the bone grows around the implant and holds it in place, an artificial tooth (implant crown) can be attached to this implant in order to function like a tooth.

This procedure can be done to replace a single missing tooth or multiple missing teeth. The latter may be a dental bridge, where multiple teeth are replaced in a row and joined together. Implants crowns and bridges have the advantage of appearing like a real tooth, being comfortable for the patient in function but also not being reliant on other teeth. As a result, implants do not require any work or damage to adjacent teeth in order to be inserted.

To assess whether you are suitable for a dental implant, your dentist will refer you to a specialist who places implants. Once they deem your case is suitable, there are a few steps before implant is placed and ready to have a crown placed on top. Once the implant is ready to be restored, your dentist will place the crown that you can then start chewing on.