What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants procedures generally involve a series of standard steps and materials. The finished replacement tooth is made up of three different components: the implant, the abutment and the crown.

The implant itself is a small post, usually made of titanium, and similar in shape to screws. Under local anesthetic, the implant is surgically inserted into the jaw bone, and serves as the first step in the process to replace missing teeth. Once inserted, the implant bonds with the natural bone, acts as a substitute for the root of the tooth, and provides a base of support for the one or more replacement teeth, also known as the crowns.

The abutment is a connector that is placed on, or built into, the top of the dental implant, and serves as the connection point and additional support for the crown.

The crown, essentially the replacement tooth, is custom manufactured to match the look, shape, and fit of the other natural teeth, and then installed onto the abutment to complete the replacement process.