Do dental implants look like natural teeth?
Patients that need dental implants often wonder if their tooth replacement will appear natural, and blend in with their existing teeth.
At Carbonear Dental, our dental team understands you might have concerns or be worried about receiving a dental implant, although we'd like to help ease your mind – dental implants are made to feel and look very similar to your existing teeth.
Particularly for patients who require implants for their front teeth, the aesthetic aspects of replacement teeth might be one of their foremost concerns. After all, this oral surgery typically needs months to heal between stages - you likely want the result to look and feel natural!
Whenever we can, we like to help answer questions, address concerns and help our patients set expectations about what life with implants will be like and how they will look and feel.
What can I do to make my dental implant appear as natural as possible?
Some patients will require a bone graft to ensure their jawbone is strong enough to support the dental implant permanently. The transplanted bone will add volume and density to your jaw in the area where bone loss has happened. The dentist will surgically place the implant to ensure proper placement.
Then, the dentist will take dental impressions of your teeth so a custom-fit tooth replacement can be made. The tooth replacement that's attached to the implant will be a bridge, crown, or denture. Since each person's teeth are a slightly different shade, your dentist will take care to match the color, size, and shape of your existing natural teeth.
To lots of patients, the aesthetic element of dental implants is one of the most important reasons to have missing teeth replaced. Every characteristic from the material the tooth replacement is made of to the lab tech making the crown will impact how natural the dental implant appears.
When dental implants are cared for properly, they can last a lifetime. Remember that you'll have to practice excellent oral hygiene and treat your implant as you would your natural teeth, by brushing two times a day and flossing once a day.
When the time comes for your dental implant to be placed and the tissue has healed, a casual viewer will be hard-pressed to distinguish the difference between your natural teeth and dental implant
Plus, replacing missing teeth will also protect your oral and overall health by preventing surrounding natural teeth from shifting to fill the gap left by a missing tooth. The dental implant will also preserve your facial structure, preventing the 'sunken' look that can result from missing teeth.