Dental Implant Options

At North Mankato Dentistry, our caring team values each patient that visits our office and it is our goal to provide a welcoming and comfortable environment for your treatment. Dr. Flack and Dr. Schuck are experts in dental implant treatment and we appreciate your trust in our expertise. In order to assist our patients in being more informed about the benefits of obtaining a dental implant, please feel free to read more below.

What Is A Dental Implant?

A dental implant is made up of 3 components, the post, the abutment, and the the crown. The post is titanium and serves as the tooth root when surgically placed into the jawbone and the abutment and crown are attached to create a natural-like tooth replacement. Dental implants are a great option for patients that have one or more missing teeth and want a permanent solution as opposed to bridges or traditional dentures.

• The Post is a threaded piece of cylindrical titanium metal that integrates into the bone nicely and mimics the root of your tooth. The thread on the post is very much like a screw and once placed by your doctor, the post will actually fuse to the bone over a period of time. Thus creating a strong bond that is designed to function like a natural tooth root for the rest of your life. 
• The Abutment is a metal cap that marries the post and the crown to each other once the post has fused itself to the bone. 
• The Crown is the exposed portion of the implant that is designed to look like neighboring teeth. The crown is generally color matched to your other teeth in order to provide a seamless look within your smile.