What are dental implants and how to know if you are a candidate?

The first thing to make clear is that dental implants are a very good way to replace missing teeth, recover chewing function, aesthetics, improve quality of life, and self-esteem.

A simple way to describe dental implants is that they are usually metallic elements that are surgically placed under the gums, in the jawbone. These implants can have different designs, although at first glance they are very similar, they are usually made of titanium because it is a metal that the body usually accepts well.

Also for the tooth that will be placed on top of the implant, different materials are commonly used, among them zirconium and ceramic. These crowns or fixed bridges are the ones that will take the place of the tooth, while the implant will work as if it were the root of the tooth.

The implant will begin to integrate with the jaw bone in 3 or 6 months according to the case.

One of the main characteristics of dental implants is that once they fuse with the jawbone, dentures and bridges do not slip. In addition, stable support is provided to the artificial teeth, so the patient can chew properly and speak normally again.

Currently dental implants are one of the most requested services to a dentist in Tijuana, because unlike other treatments the adjacent teeth are not damaged, it is a fixed treatment where function and aesthetics are recovered. 

Another advantage that dental implants have is that the success rate is quite high, so it is a treatment that can last  up to 10 years with good maintenance, unlike treatments such as traditional bridges that have to be attached to adjacent teeth, not to mention that it is not necessary to wear down the natural teeth to hold the replacement ones.