Often, during consultations our patients ask if dental implants will feel like their natural teeth do. Implants are a popular replacement for missing teeth because they give wearers a very natural look and feel. So, how natural do they really feel? Our Delta dentists explain more...
What is a dental implant?
Dental implants are tiny titanium screws that are implanted into the jaw bone. Each of these screws acts as a replacement for the root of a missing tooth. Because the implant is made from titanium it is 'biocompatible', meaning that the screw will fuse with bone to become a solid foundation for the restoration that will go on top.
Depending on how many teeth you need to replace, a dental crown, bridge, or denture make up the restoration portion of the implant.
How natural do dental implants feel?
Since a dental implant is not alive like a natural tooth it doesn’t have any nerves in it to feel sensations. That means you won’t have any feeling in the implant itself, so any feeling you experience will come from the gum tissue surrounding the implant.
Dental implants look and function just like natural teeth do. Implants are specifically designed to blend in perfectly with the surrounding natural teeth. Not only that, you care for implants just like you care for your natural teeth.
You will hardly notice the difference between your natural teeth and your dental implant once your implant has healed and you’ve had a few weeks to get used to it!