When we lose a tooth several changes occur that profoundly affect the sorrounding teeth and bones. The neighboring and opposing teeth drift toward the space of tooth loss. This causes uneven distribution of chewing force that are no longer along the long axis of the involved teeth. Also there is food lodgment causing decay of the teeth and gums. All these changes can be prevented from timely replacement of the lost tooth either by implants or by bridges.

Implants are the standard of choice since they are very much like our natural teeth. There is no trimming of the neighboring teeth and may last you for a lifetime.   It involves placing a titanium post in the bone and allowing it to integrate with the surrounding bone. Your dentist will have to place bone grafts if there is insufficient healthy bone to support the implant. Once the integration is complete the crown is fabricated and cemented onto the implant.
Implants can also be used in conjunction with dentures to reduce movement of dentures and facilitate chewing.