Missing teeth can change how you chew, how your teeth line up, and how much strain the rest of your mouth has to carry. Even one empty space can affect nearby teeth over time, which is why tooth replacement is about more than filling a gap.

In Mount Pleasant, MI, Dr. Kenneth Egger, DDS, works with current patients to review restorative options, including dental implants. He earned his DDS from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and has maintained his Mount Pleasant practice since 1996.

Learn how dental implants may support chewing, spacing, and long-term oral health below.

Dental Implants Replace the Tooth Root

A dental implant differs from a removable tooth replacement because it features a titanium post placed in the jawbone. Throughout the healing process, the bone grows around the post–this is called osseointegration. Once healed, the implant is able to support a custom restoration, often a porcelain crown.

This root-like support is one reason implants can feel stable when chewing. They also avoid altering the teeth next to the open space, which may be needed with some traditional bridgework.

They Help Keep Nearby Teeth in Place

When a tooth is missing, the neighboring teeth sometimes drift into the open space. The opposing tooth may also shift because it no longer meets a tooth when you bite.

An implant can help maintain spacing and bite balance. Keeping teeth from drifting can also make it easier to clean between them, which may help reduce plaque buildup in hard-to-reach areas.

They Can Support Chewing Function

People with missing teeth often chew more on one side or avoid certain foods. Over time, that can create uneven pressure. A dental implant is load-bearing, meaning it can help restore biting and chewing ability once treatment is complete.

Dental implants may be used to replace one tooth, several teeth, or to help stabilize dentures. Implant-supported dentures also tend to feel more secure than dentures held only with adhesive.

Candidacy Depends on Your Oral Health

Bone density matters for implant success. If gum disease has caused significant bone loss, additional treatment might be needed before placement. Smoking can also interfere with healing, so Dr. Egger may discuss health habits and risk factors during the evaluation.

Review Your Tooth Replacement Options Today

An open space in your smile can affect comfort, chewing, and long-term oral health. Current patients in Mount Pleasant, MI, can call 989-773-3560 or contact us to talk with Dr. Kenneth Egger about dental implant options.

As we age, maintaining a healthy, confident smile becomes increasingly important. For seniors dealing with missing teeth, dental implants can enhance both oral health and quality of life. 

Kenneth Egger, DDS, a proud member of the American Dental Association, is committed to helping seniors understand their options and achieve the best possible outcomes. Learn more about dental implants for seniors below.

Benefits of Dental Implants for Seniors

Traditional dentures can slip or cause discomfort. However, dental implants provide unmatched stability and comfort. 

Implants also fuse with the jawbone, creating a permanent foundation for replacement teeth. This stability can improve chewing ability, speech, and confidence. These are all key benefits that contribute to better nutrition and quality of life.

Long-term, dental implants are also an investment in oral health. They prevent bone loss in the jaw, which can occur after losing a tooth. This helps patients maintain their facial structure and avoid the “sunken” look that many seniors fear.

Are Seniors Good Candidates for Dental Implants?

Many seniors may wonder if they are suitable candidates for dental implants. The good news is that advancements in dental technology have made implants accessible to a broader range of patients, including older adults.

Factors like bone density and general health play a role in determining eligibility. However, age itself is rarely a limiting factor.

Dr. Egger takes a personalized approach to evaluating each patient’s situation. During your consultation, he will assess your oral health, discuss your medical history, and explain all available options. Even if bone density is a concern, treatments like bone grafting can make implants possible.

Addressing Common Concerns

Safety and recovery time are often top concerns for seniors considering dental implants. Rest assured that dental implants are a well-established, safe procedure with a high success rate. 

Recovery times vary, but many seniors report a smooth and manageable healing process. With meticulous care and Dr. Egger’s expertise, you can feel confident in your decision to move forward.

Transform Your Smile Today

Dental implants can be an excellent solution to restore function and confidence. If you’re ready to explore how implants can benefit you, schedule a consultation with Dr. Egger today. Call 989-773-3560 or send us a message.

Missing teeth can majorly impact your daily life, from your ability to chew food properly to your confidence in social situations. Dental implants are a superior choice if you’re exploring options to replace missing teeth for many reasons. Here’s why dental implants might be the best solution for preserving your smile and maintaining oral health.

When it comes to dental implants, choosing Dr. Kenneth Egger, DDS, in Mount Pleasant, MI, ensures you receive exceptional care from a highly skilled and experienced dentist. Dr. Egger provides personalized treatment using advanced technology so your dental implants look, feel, and function like natural teeth. His commitment to patient comfort and long-lasting results makes him a top choice for restoring your smile and oral health with dental implants. You can trust Dr. Egger for a comfortable experience as you achieve the smile you deserve.

Natural Look and Feel

One of the most compelling reasons to choose dental implants is how closely they mimic natural teeth. They look, feel, and function exactly like your teeth. The implant itself, typically made of titanium, fuses with your jawbone to establish a stable foundation for a custom-made dental crown that matches the color and shape of your surrounding teeth. This seamless integration means your new teeth will look natural, allowing you to smile, speak, and eat confidently.

Long-Lasting Solution

Unlike other tooth replacements, like dentures or bridges, implants last a lifetime with the right care. The implant is surgically inserted into the jawbone, providing a permanent solution that doesn’t require the same level of maintenance or replacement as other options. While the crown may eventually need to be replaced due to normal wear, the implant itself can last decades, making it a cost-effective long-term solution.

Improved Oral Health

Dental implants are crucial to preserving oral health. When a tooth is lost, the jawbone in that area deteriorates over time. Implants prevent this bone loss with the stimulation needed to keep the bone healthy and intact. You will maintain your facial structure and prevent surrounding teeth from shifting, which leads to further dental issues.

Comfort and Convenience

Many patients find dental implants far more comfortable and convenient than removable dentures. Dentures can slip, click, or cause sore spots in the mouth, but implants are fixed in place, eliminating these issues. There’s no need for messy adhesives, and you won’t have to worry about your teeth moving when you eat or talk. This added stability and comfort are significant benefits that enhance your overall quality of life.

Enhanced Confidence

Living with missing teeth can be challenging, often leading to feelings of self-consciousness and insecurity. Dental implants restore your smile and also your self-esteem. With a complete, natural-looking set of teeth, you can feel pleased with your appearance and enjoy the activities you love without hesitation.

Fill in the Gaps with Dental Implants in Mount Pleasant, MI

Dental implants offer numerous advantages, making them an excellent choice for replacing missing teeth. From their natural appearance and durability to their role in preserving oral health, implants provide a practical and life-changing solution. If you’re considering dental implants, call us at 989-773-3560 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Egger. We’ll help you determine if this option is right for you, and take the first step towards restoring your smile and confidence.

When it comes to replacing missing teeth, implants are the most effective way to restore function and appearance to your smile without disturbing surrounding teeth. But many patients wonder whether the cost of implants is worth it, and how implants can make a noticeable difference compared to a bridge or even partial dentures.

In this post, you will learn five facts about implants to know before choosing them for your mouth.

1. The Visual Tooth You See Isn’t the Implant

That comes from an implant crown, which looks like a natural tooth and covers the abutment, a metal piece that joins the crown and a titanium screw connected to your jaw bone.

The actual tooth part you likely envision when you think of an implant doesn’t happen right away; it’s the last phase of treatment after implant surgery and a recovery period; during that time the screw will fuse to your jaw bone in a process known as osseointegration.

2. Dental Implants Prevent Bone Loss

When you lose teeth, either naturally, from trauma, or extraction, the bone they were attached to no longer receives the stimulation it needs to maintain its strength. As a result, it begins to wear down through a process called resorption.

Partial dentures, full dentures, and bridges do not prevent bone loss; only implants, which fuse to your jawbone, can do that.

3. Implants Protect Surrounding Teeth

Without implants, teeth surrounding gaps can shift, and opposing top teeth can move downwards. This can misalign your bite and cause complications with eating and communicating.

Furthermore, having exposed sockets can increase your risk of gum disease and infection, which can go on to affect other teeth in your mouth.

4. It’s Easy to Maintain Implants

Once they’re fully healed, taking care of your implants is just like maintaining your regular teeth. You’ll brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash, get cleanings, and be able to enjoy a fully functional smile without any hassle.

5. You Won’t Have to Worry About Cavities

Implants are not real teeth, so they cannot develop caries (cavities) or be impacted by other forms of tooth decay. However, surrounding tissues can still become inflamed, so maintaining proper dental hygiene is essential.

If you would like to learn more about dental implants, contact the office of Dr. Kenneth Egger today! With decades of experience, he offers patients in Mount Pleasant, MI, kind, compassionate, and comprehensive care.

Please submit an online form or call 989-773-3560.

It can be quite embarrassing if you have a smile that you are scared to show to other people. Your smile is one of your biggest features, and you must be confident in it. Dental implants are a great way to repair teeth that are badly damaged or replace teeth that are missing. Implants allow you to have the appearance of a full and healthy smile. In this blog, we will go over what dental implants are and how you can benefit from them.

What Is a Dental Implant? 

A dental implant is an oral prosthetic replacement for teeth that are severely damaged or missing. It provides patients with a great way to restore their smiles in a way that looks extremely natural.

Benefits of Dental Implants

Restores Ability to Chew

Dental implants can help you to chew your food effectively again if you are missing teeth and have been having issues with chewing.

Boost Self-Confidence

With a new and improved smile, you can be confident in your daily activities knowing that you have a smile that dazzles. It can be detrimental to your self-confidence if you know that your smile has noticeable cosmetic flaws. Dental implants fix that.

Helps Oral Health

Dental implants do wonders for your oral health. Implants give stability to surrounding teeth and help to keep the jawbone from shrinking due to bone loss. It also helps to preserve the health of the surrounding gums and bones.

Discreet

Dental implants look and feel like natural teeth. This makes them very discreet and almost impossible to detect. Making them a great fix for people that are wanting a natural-looking smile.

Get Your Dental Implants With Dr. Kenneth Egger

If you are struggling with your smile and think dental implants could give you all of the benefits you need, Dr. Kenneth Egger in Mount Pleasant, MI is the perfect dentist to talk to. With nearly 30 years of experience, Dr. Egger has the skills and experience to make sure that your dental implant procedure is handled with precision and care. Contact us today at (989) 7773-3560 or visit us online at mountpleasantmidentist.com to schedule your consultation.

Dr. Kenneth Egger of Mount Pleasant, MI, sees many patients in his office who are looking for ways to repair their smile after tooth extraction or loss. While there are various ways to achieve a more beautiful smile that functions properly, there is only one choice that helps maintain the natural bone: dental implants.

What Is a Dental Implant?

A dental implant is essentially a tooth root replacement that is placed into the bone of the jaw. This provides a foundation for a restoration, including a dental crown, dental bridge, or dentures. Implants are highly desirable because they function like natural teeth and can last the rest of one’s life with proper care and attention.

What Are the Three Parts of a Dental Implant?

The three parts of a dental implant include the following:

• The implant fixture. This titanium screw is placed into the jawbone and acts as the implant’s root.
• Abutment. This part connects the implant fixture to the restoration, or crown, and is what holds it in place.
• Restoration/Crown. This part of a dental implant is custom-made to look like your other teeth and appears above the gum line for a natural look and feel. It may be made from porcelain or another hard material that can withstand biting forces on your teeth.

How Long Does It Take To Obtain a Dental Implant?

The entire process typically takes three to six months, depending on how healthy your gums are and how quickly you heal from surgery. Afterward, if you care for your dental implants and your smile as a whole, you can enjoy your implant for a lifetime!

Call Dr. Kenneth Egger Today To Find Out if You Are a Proper Candidate for Dental Implants!

Dental implants continue to be the gold standard in replacing missing and extracted teeth. If you live in the Mount Pleasant, MI area and want to speak to an experienced dental provider in the community, call our office today at 989-773-3560 to request a consultation appointment. We are open to new patients and welcome families into our office for comprehensive dental care!

In December’s first frosty blog, we gave you a little pop quiz about some facts surrounding missing teeth and their awesome replacement, the dental implant. Since many people are missing a tooth or two, let’s stay with implants in this final blog of another COVID-stained year.

Let’s get into the pluses of implants, and how Dr. Egger places them for our patients from Mt. Pleasant and the surrounding areas.

What are the advantages of having a dental implant?

When it comes to replacing a tooth, most people think of a bridge. Bridges use crowns on each side of the missing tooth or teeth to cover the remaining teeth, anchoring the artificial teeth on an acrylic base between them. The crowns and the artificial teeth are made as one piece.

Compared to a dental bridge, implants are far superior. Here’s why:

• Dental implants behave exactly like a natural tooth, so the patient can eat any foods and chew normally.
• Unlike bridges, where adjacent “abutment teeth” need to be crowned to anchor the bridge holding the false tooth or teeth, implants stand alone.
• Implants keep adjacent teeth from moving.
• Implants are load-bearing teeth, so you don’t have to avoid chewing or biting with them. Plus, they transfer energy down into the jawbone just as natural teeth do.
• Implants have a 90 to 95% success rate and can last for decades, giving the patient back his or her smile and the ability to eat any foods.

How are dental implants placed?

• Consultation: The implant process begins with a consultation with Dr. Egger, who performs a full oral exam and takes x-rays and a CT scan to determine your jawbone mass.

• Placement: Next the titanium implant is placed into hole formerly occupied by the tooth root. Dr. Egger may have to drill a small hole into the jawbone to prepare it. The implant is shaped like a screw and is inserted in that fashion.

• Osseointegration: Now the patient simply waits three to six months as the jawbone naturally grows around and accepts the titanium implant.

• Abutment: When the jawbone has fully grown around the implant, a small metal post, called an abutment, is attached to the implant and the gum tissue is allowed to heal for around six weeks.

• Placing the crown: The final step is to place a custom-made porcelain crown onto the abutment. The crown is made to match the color and shape of the surrounding teeth so, once placed, it fits in naturally.

If you’re missing a tooth, 2022 should be the Year of the Dental Implant. Call Dr. Egger at (989) 773-3560, and let’s talk about it.

OK, that sounds like some sort of science fiction novel title, but it’s not.

Titanium is one of Dr. Egger’s best friends because it is the base, literally, of dental implants. And dental implants are the rock stars of the dental universe. They are the best option for replacing a missing tooth or for anchoring partial dentures to replace a series of missing teeth.

Since we haven’t talked about dental implants in a while here at our blog, let’s devote this last month in a COVID-forgettable year to these mighty dental prosthetics.

Dental implants 101

For many people who don’t read Dentistry Today, they think dental implants are a new thing. They may have only heard about them in the past five years or so. But dental implants have been used for tooth restoration for over 50 years. They’ve actually been around longer than that, just not the modern types made of titanium.

Archeological digs have unearthed implanted seashells and ivory in the jawbone of ancient Mayans and Egyptians. We assume they weren’t conch shells!

The modern dental implant can be traced back to 1952. Swedish orthopedic surgeon, Per-Ingvar Branemark, was studying bone healing and regeneration. He inserted a titanium screw into a rabbit tibia to mend a break but found that when he tried to remove the screw later the bone had fully grown around it and it couldn’t be removed. A decade of research followed, and the modern dental implant debuted in 1965.

Dr. Egger believes dental implants are far and away the best solution to replace a missing tooth, whether it is a tooth that is already gone, or a tooth that is so badly damaged or decayed that it requires extraction.

Some people don’t think you need to replace a missing tooth or two. Bad idea. If you don’t replace a missing tooth the adjacent teeth tend to spread out to fill the gap. This creates problems with your overall bite and tooth alignment.

Fun facts with dental implants

Since we’re into this kind of stuff at Dr. Egger’s. Let’s hit you with a pop quiz on missing teeth and dental implants. How many of these facts do you know?

• An estimated 69% of Americans aged 35 to 44 have at least one missing tooth.
• 25% of Americans over age 74 have lost all of their natural teeth.
• Dental implants are basically a titanium screw that is set into the hole in the jawbone where the natural tooth root was anchored. The jawbone then grows around the implant in a process known as osseointegration.
• Once in place, implants function like a natural tooth, transferring the energy from biting and chewing down into the jawbone beneath the artificial tooth. This stimulation is responsible for the jawbone continually renewing itself, a process that prevents bone loss.
• Implants can also be used to anchor partial or complete dentures.
• Implants now have a 98% success rate.

So, how’d you do? Well, it’s not really your business to know about dental implants, is it? But Dr. Egger and our team know all about these amazing dental prosthetics. If you’re missing a tooth or two, let’s talk about possibly placing dental implants in your jaw. Call us at (989) 773-3560 to schedule an appointment.

It’s easy to think that only the people characterized in the movie Deliverance are missing most or all of their teeth. Truth be told, none other than the esteemed American Dental Association says that 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth. And, wait for it, 35 million Americans are missing all of their teeth. You read that right. Those stats are coming from places you would expect and many places you wouldn’t…like Mount Pleasant. The ADA also expects those numbers to grow as the country ages.

Holy Deliverance 2 casting call! Holy Hee Haw reunion show! Who knew so many people were missing their teeth?

If you’re one of those statistics, you may be thinking you’d just as soon save a few dollars and NOT have that missing tooth replaced. After all, you lost in when your Uncle Frank got a little overzealous in November’s Turkey Bowl. And what’s the big deal, it’s just a missing tooth, right?

Wrong. There are many reasons to replace your missing tooth with Dr. Egger, preferably with the gold standard of tooth replacement, a dental implant.

1. Appearance — If you’re missing one of your front teeth, come on! Even professional hockey players get their teeth fixed! Last time we checked, GQ isn’t looking for any models missing one of their front teeth.
2. Eating ability — If you’re missing a tooth, chewing and biting can be an issue. Plus, every time you do bite into something, you’re putting more pressure on the adjacent front teeth to carry the load. That can wear out those teeth more quickly than normal. If you’re missing a molar chewing can be a problem. This can lead to you not eating certain foods, which can lead to gaps in your nutrition.
3. Movement — Your teeth that live next to your missing tooth now no longer have any pressure from the tooth next to them to stay in place. Without that pressure the adjacent teeth like to slide over into the gap (think crowded bleachers when one person leaves to go get a hot dog). That makes for some lovely alignment issues, which can create bite issues, which can lead to TMJ disorders.
4. Jawbone ‘b Gone — If you’re missing a tooth or a couple of teeth, you’re also placing a bet on your jawbone, and it’s a losing bet. You see, the teeth take the enormous force generated when biting and chewing and they transfer that energy directly down through the teeth into the jawbone they are anchored in. That energy signals the jawbone to keep producing new bone cells, shedding old ones. That’s what you call regeneration, and that’s what keeps your jawbone healthy and full-sized. When there isn’t any stimulation coming down through that missing tooth, the jawbone beneath it begins to deteriorate. Over time, that deterioration, particularly if you’re missing a couple teeth in one spot, can become dramatic and that area of your face can begin to collapse inward. Don’t believe it? Check out the face of a person missing all of their teeth.
5. Implants are like teeth, only with a little titanium — A dental implant with its titanium base accepted and integrated into the jawbone behaves exactly like a natural tooth. You can eat whatever you want. Caring for them is no different than your regular teeth. And now you don’t look like you should be playing a banjo on a porch in North Georgia.

Isn’t it time to replace that missing tooth, or to do something about that tooth with the serious decay? Call Dr. Egger at (989) 773-3560 and let’s talk about a dental implant.

We often see patients who are missing a tooth or two. They may have knocked a tooth out during a pond hockey game or during a family “touch” Turkey Bowl game. A tooth could have had excessive decay and there wasn’t any way to save it.

The why doesn’t matter; it’s the why not replace it that matters. Dr. Egger believes dental implants are far and away the best dental prosthetic and he places them all the time in his Mt. Pleasant practice.

It’s just a tooth, right?

People assume that missing a single tooth isn’t any big deal. It’s just a tooth. That’s especially the case with molars. No one can see the gap, so why bother to replace it?

Many reasons actually. Your teeth all stay in place thanks to the pressure placed on them by the teeth next to them. Remove one and the teeth on both sides slide into the gap, kind of how people slide over in the bleacher section at Michigan Stadium when someone gets up to go get a hot dog. This can mess up your alignment and your overall bite. Also, people tend to avoid chewing on the side where they are missing a tooth. This creates more wear on the other side of the mouth, along with other problems. And those are just a couple reasons to replace a missing tooth, which we’ve covered in other blogs.

The best replacement

Now we come to dental implants. If you’re missing a tooth or two, Dr. Egger would like to introduce you to his pal the dental implant. Dental implants get their name from the titanium “implant.” This is a screw-shaped device that screws down into the socket occupied formerly by your natural tooth root. Dr. Egger places the implant and then closes the tiny incision in your gums. Now you wait a few months as your jawbone grows around the implant and makes it a part of your jaw.

When this process called osseointegration is complete, you come back in and Dr. Egger attaches a post to the implant base. You then give it a few weeks for the gums to grow all around the post. For the final step, you return and Dr. Egger attaches the artificial porcelain tooth to the post. Now you have a complete dental implant! It will function just like a natural tooth. It will look just like a natural tooth. Your smile will be complete. You’ll eat normally on both sides again.

And that dental implant will likely last the rest of your life. How cool is that?

So don’t leave that gap in your life. Have that missing tooth replaced with a dental implant at Dr. Egger’s family practice in Mt. Pleasant. He’s been Mt. Pleasant’s most pleasant dentist for approaching 25 years, and he’s placed hundreds of dental implants.

Call us at (989) 773-3560 to make your appointment.