Transforming smiles and lives with dental implants

It is incredibly rewarding for our team at McKinney Dental to transform smiles with dental implants. Implants have set a new standard in replacing missing or failing teeth. To date, they are the only tooth replacement option that is designed like natural teeth. Furthermore, when our team in Madison, Wisconsin, uses implants to replace teeth, we do more than complete a broken smile – as crucial as that is. We also restore our valued patients’ confidence, healthy chewing, clear speech, and, in turn, the ability to communicate – along with all of the myriad other essential functions that are supported by our teeth.

Brush up on dental implants 

Traditional bridges and dentures only replace the parts of the teeth that are visible above the gum line – the crown and, in the case of a denture, the crowns and gum tissue. Implant systems, notably, replace both the crowns and the roots of the teeth. In fact, implants function as tooth roots. They are shaped like cylinders and made from biocompatible materials like titanium and zirconium. Since these materials are biologically compatible with living tissues, implants are positioned in the jaw to eventually and naturally fuse to the surrounding bone. 

So, implants become a part of the jaw. With the implant stabilized in the bone, the prosthetic may then be connected to it and held securely in place. After all, each replacement tooth is “rooted” in the jawbone. 

Natural form (appearance) and function follow when artificial teeth are supported securely in the mouth. There are also additional, long-term benefits associated with dental implant-retained teeth. 

A lifetime of health

If you don’t use your muscles, they atrophy or shrink. This same process can happen to the bone in your jaw. The bony tissue stays strong due to the stimulation that it gets from the teeth. Every time you use your teeth to mash food, the force generated from that behavior gets transmitted through the teeth to the roots encased in the jawbone. 

It’s important to replace teeth quickly after they fall out or are rendered irreversibly damaged (can’t be preserved with root canal therapy or other advanced procedures). If teeth aren’t replaced, the destructive process of bone loss starts immediately. The bone in the jaw has no teeth to keep it stimulated. So, it eventually resorbs. As bone is lost, the skin and tissues on top of it fall. The facial tissues are no longer properly supported and cannot remain taut. The result is loose, saggy skin and pronounced folds in the face. The lower portion of the face collapses, making people look older than their years. 

Dental implants sustain the strength of your bone. In turn, your bone can also support facial skin and tissues. You continue to look healthy and vibrant! Of course, you also are healthier when you no longer hold on to rotten teeth or can chew comfortably and efficiently with a complete set of teeth.

Schedule your visit today!

One implant may be placed to support a single replacement tooth (or crown). Or, as few as four implants may be secured in the jaw to retain an upper or lower denture. Additionally, McKinney Dental is pleased to provide a conservative alternative to standard implants. “Mini” implants offer a “graft-less” alternative for individuals whose mouths have sustained bone loss and are not good candidates for grafting to build up the jaw before implant placement. 

To schedule an appointment with Dr. McKinney, please contact our Madison, Wisconsin office at (608) 249-6511.