If you are missing one or more teeth, you may need a dental implant. You might already know that missing teeth can make it difficult to speak or to eat certain foods, but you may not realize that missing teeth can lead to bone loss in your jaw. Your teeth and their roots stimulate your jawbone every time you use them, which keeps the bone strong. Without the tooth there to provide stimulation, you can actually lose mass in your jawbone, which can lead to future problems and even change the shape of your jaw over time. 

Dental implants are a fantastic long-term solution to replace missing teeth because they provide the stimulation needed to keep your jawbone strong. The implant itself is a small titanium post that the doctor will surgically implant into your gums. Once healed, this implant provides a strong foundation for your replacement tooth or teeth that looks and feels like your natural teeth.