The Similarities Between Your Tooth Roots And Dental Implants
Dental implants are one of the most favored forms of tooth replacement simply because they work just like real teeth. There are a lot of similarities between the root (the base) of a real tooth and the implant portion of a dental implant.
Definition
The first thing you should know is that when this article refers to an "implant," it's particularly talking about the titanium peg, or implant, that makes up the base of a dental implant. This is where the "dental implant" gets its name.
Distance
Dental implants and tooth roots have one thing very much in common: they are the same length. This is intentional on the part of your dentist.
By making the titanium implant the same length as your tooth root, the replacement implant can take the same spot where your tooth root used to be. This allows the implant to effectively slide into place, extending all the way down into the bone of the jaw.
Integration
Your body responds to a dental implant the same way that it responds to a real tooth. When a tooth moves in, the body starts growing new bone cells that sort of encase the base of the root, holding it firmly in place. When a tooth is lost, these bone cells die off and disappear. However, when an implant is put in its place, the body performs the same technique, which is what keeps a dental implant in position.
Function
Lastly, the function of a dental implant and a tooth root are very similar, too. This doesn't simply mean that you can chew on both a dental implant and a tooth, but rather, it refers to what happens when you do that chewing.
Every time you take a bite, the pressure that is put on your tooth doesn't stop at the surface. Instead, it travels down through the tooth, all the way to the base where it meets the bone of your jaw. This encourages the jaw to grow even more healthy bone cells to replace older ones that need to be broken down and removed. A dental implant is able to perform the same process because it's the same length as a real tooth root and grows into the bone the same way.
Dental implants are ingenious bits of engineering that are able to replace your teeth effectively. If you've been interested in dental implants but haven't made the plunge, perhaps now is the time to do it.