More and more patients are opting for dental implants, says dentist

A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey administered by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention found that 25 percent of patients over 60 years old have lost all of their teeth. It's estimated that 63% of all American adults are missing more than one tooth. The traditional solution for replacing missing teeth is dental bridges or dentures, but Dearborn, MI dentist Dr. Mark Luria, DDS of Luria & Birnholtz Family Dentistry has found that more and more patients are opting for dental implants.

Dental implants are devices that are rooted into the jawbone to support a crowned tooth replacement. When they're in place, they look and function like a normal tooth -- no one can tell that it's an implant. The crowned tooth is a sturdy, aesthetically pleasing restoration -- dental implants can be used to replace one or even an entire upper or lower row of teeth. It's considered a superior solution compared to dentures, which are only a temporary fix for patients.

An estimated 3 million people in the United States have at least one or more dental implants -- and that number is expected to grow by half a million people annually according to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. Dental implants have become a billion-dollar industry worldwide.

The first step in the dental implant process is to identify if the patient is a good candidate for the procedure. Because the implant must be surgically placed into the jawbone, the patient must have enough bone tissue to anchor the implant. If a patient is deemed a good candidate for the procedure, Dearborn dental implant specialist Dr. Luria works with a dental surgeon to carefully install the titanium or ceramic dental implant. The implant typically takes anywhere from one to three months to heal. At the next appointment, Dr. Luria takes a mold of the dental implant and adjacent teeth to create a customized dental implant. This implant is colored to match the surrounding teeth and blend seamlessly.

"Dental implants offer many advantages over traditional tooth replacement options, but most importantly that they look and feel good to a patient," Dr. Luria explains. "My patients are pleased with their results and often share their experiences with other patients in need of tooth replacement."

Source: Luria & Birnholtz Family Dentistry