This article explains what dental implants are, how they work and why they are considered to be the best and most sophisticated tooth replacement technology today.

 

Dental implants in Chicago: we all know what they are… right? Well, sort of… they are used to replace teeth, aren’t they?

Yes! Dental implants in Chicago are the sophisticated 21st century tooth replacement solution for patients who have lost one, several, most or even all of their natural pearly whites! But what exactly are they and how do they work?

The Anatomy of Dental Implants in Chicago

 

Dental implants consist of three separate components:

(1) A tiny medical-grade titanium screw. This is placed in the jaw at the site/s of the missing tooth or teeth.

(2) An abutment or ‘collar’, which is attached to the screw and used to hold the third component firmly in place.

(3) A high quality ceramic dental crown (for single tooth replacement) or a customized prosthetic dental bridge (for full arch replacement).

The choice of titanium in the construction of dental implants in Chicago is a very interesting one. Titanium metal is incredibly strong, lightweight non-toxic, stable and non-corrosive, so it won’t rust. In fact, titanium is so strong and lightweight that it’s also used in the manufacturing of professional tennis racquets and space shuttles!

But there’s one other very interesting thing titanium is known for and it’s what has essentially made the entire field of dental implantology possible: ‘osseointegration.’

Dental Implants in Chicago and Osseointegration

 

There are few materials on Earth our body’s tissues will naturally accept. Most of the time, it will reject foreign matter, which is your body’s way of protecting you. For many decades, dentists desperately tried to develop a tooth replacement technology that could remain permanently rooted in the jaw bone. But every material they tried would fail and was rejected by the jaw bone.

This was until the discovery of titanium’s rare ability to osseointegrate by Swedish orthopedic surgeon Per-Ingvar Brånemark. Titanium is the only suitable metal that is totally bio-compatible. A look under the microscope reveals that jaw bone tissue will physically bond with the titanium surface of dental implants in Chicago (see image below). Once the jaw has healed successfully, dental implants in Chicago remain permanently rooted in the bone, just like natural teeth.

It’s this phenomenon that enables dental implants in Chicago to function like real teeth and to facilitate a strong bite force.

The Benefits of Dental Implants in Chicago

 

Dental implants in Chicago are the closest thing modern dental science has to offer patients who have lost one or more of their natural teeth. They’re strong, they’re fabricated to be virtually indistinguishable from real teeth and they feel comfortable in the mouth, unlike bridges, which tend to feel foreign. Dental implants in Chicago also promote the health of the underlying jaw bone by transmitting all the forces associated with eating to this hard tissue. This keeps the bone alive and healthy, preventing atrophy and the development of serious oral problems further down the line. Other benefits include:

• Dental implants in Chicago are cleaned just like natural teeth

• They’re non-removable

• They enable patients to eat all the foods they love

• They look natural

• They feel comfortable

• They don’t damage the neighboring healthy teeth

• They can last decades without the need for restoration or replacement

For all these reasons and more, dental healthcare professionals always recommend dental implants in Chicago as the preferred tooth replacement technology.