Dental Implants

Dental implants are a technique often used to replace a missing tooth in a patient’s mouth. A dental implant consists of a titanium rod that is inserted into the patient’s jaw during surgery to create an artificial root. The implant serves as a pillar to support an artificial tooth.

Why do we need to replace a missing tooth?

All of our teeth form a balanced system and the loss of one of them greatly disturbs this balance. Each tooth is held in place by the neighboring teeth, but if one of them is missing because it has been extracted, the neighboring teeth will tend to shift. These displacements will form spaces between the remaining teeth where food residues and bacteria will accumulate, which will promote the formation of dental cavities et gum diseases.

Therefore, beyond the aesthetic aspect, a missing tooth can greatly disrupt the functioning and balance of all the teeth. A person’s ability to chew may be diminished. This is why it is important to replace a missing tooth and dental implants are a commonly used solution.

How is a dental implant placed?

Placing a dental implant requires several visits to your dentist and the entire process takes a few months. Here’s how it works:

• Your dentist must first perform a thorough examination of your mouth and take multiple x-rays to examine your head, jaws and teeth. He or she can then determine if your bone structure is suitable for an implant.
• The first step in implant surgery is to make an incision in the gum to insert the implant into the patient’s jaw. The incision is then closed with stitches. As the tissue heals, the implant will naturally integrate with the jawbone. This process, called osseointegration, can take several months. The implant must be completely integrated into the jawbone in order to proceed to the next stage of treatment;
• The second step of the implant surgery is to attach an abutment to the implant. The future artificial tooth will be attached to this abutment.
• The replacement tooth is then fabricated, often in the form of a crown, and attached to the abutment. The optimal fit of the artificial tooth may require several appointments.

Please note that there are several other ways to make an implant-supported crown. We invite you to make an appointment so that we can conduct a proper evaluation of your case and explain the options available to you.

At Clinique dentaire Jean-Pierre Tabah, we do not perform implant surgery. We prefer to refer our patients to a specialist colleague who has extensive training and expertise in this procedure. We are, however, able to perform the examination to determine if you are a good candidate for a dental implant. We will also fabricate and place the artificial tooth after the implant surgery.

Caring for a dental implant

Because a dental implant, topped with an artificial tooth, serves the same function as a natural tooth, it is important to care for it. Indeed, just because the tooth is artificial does not mean that there is no risk of losing it. This is why it is necessary to respect the same rules of hygiene for this type of tooth as for the natural teeth.

By taking care of your implants’ hygiene, they will last for many years! The team at Dr Jean-Pierre Tabah’s dental clinic will be able to tell you the advantages and disadvantages of dental implants based on your specific condition.

The Dr. Jean-Pierre Tabah Dental Clinic, attentive and quality dental care in the heart of Montreal’s Marché Central.