That’s a question you might want to ask the staff of Suburban Family Dental in Des Plaines, IL. The answer depends on your situation, but for many people in Des Plaines, the answer has been yes.

In fact, dental implants are the closest thing to your natural teeth available. This is because the concept behind dental implants is to make them become part of your natural oral tissue structure.

In a dental implant procedure, your Des Plaines dentist drills a hole or holes into your jawbone and installs a titanium implant directly into the bone tissue, then allows the area to heal around the implant. This process is called osseointegration, which means your jawbone tissue grows around the implant to anchor it firmly -- and naturally -- in place. Once the implant anchors, your dentist will install a titanium post into the implant and attach a prosthetic tooth, called a crown, to the post. The result is a replacement tooth that looks, feels and functions almost exactly like a natural tooth.

There are some points your Des Plaines dentist will want to go over with you to ensure you are a good candidate for a successful dental implant procedure. First, your dentist is going to want you to be in good overall health – people with underlying chronic conditions such as diabetes may not be appropriate candidates for dental implants. Your gums should be healthy; if you have advanced gum disease or severe gum loss, your Des Plaines dentist may recommend another option.

Another consideration is time. Dental implant procedures usually take multiple visits to the dentist over a fairly lengthy period of time to complete. If you are not willing to commit to the time, you may want to consider another option.

For more information about dental implants in Des Plaines, IL, call Suburban Family Dental at 847-640-0778.