What is a Dental Implant?

Essentially, there are two main parts of a natural tooth, the root and the crown. The crown portion is what is visible in the mouth. The root is what attaches the crown to the jaw and holds it in place. Implant dentistry essentially replaces the root portion of the tooth which has been lost due to decay, periodontal disease or trauma.

A dental implant consists of 3 components: the Implant, Abutment and Crown. The implant itself is a small titanium post that is gently placed into the bone, in the site of the missing tooth. In most cases, up to 4 months of healing is required. During this healing period, the bone will surround and attach itself to the titanium post recreating a stable structure for the crown to attach. The “abutment” is the transition part between the implant and crown. Abutments are screwed into the implant and provide the foundation for the crown portion to become one entity. In combination with CEREC Dentistry, Dr. Karen Davis is one of the few dentists in Sarnia Lambton that can not only gently place your dental implant, but has advanced training in restoring your implant in-office in usually one visit!!!