People with missing teeth used to have only one choice — messy, adhesive-bound dental partials. Wearers had to endure embarrassing slippage, uncomfortable chafing, endless soaking, and frequent adjustments, not to mention restrictions on what they could eat. And while the technologies and materials used for traditional dental partials have improved significantly since your grandparents’ time, today there’s an even better option — dental implants.

Dental implants are titanium posts that are surgically inserted into the jawbone, in order to function as replacement roots for damaged teeth. The bone heals around the post, anchoring it securely, and then a false crown is attached to the top, providing a realistic-looking and fully-functional tooth.

But implants for teeth don’t need to exist in a one-to-one ratio. The implants dentists use are strong enough to serve as an anchor point for several teeth. In fact, entire dental partials for one jaw can be placed on as few as four implants, drastically reducing both surgical time and recovery time, all while providing the same secure foundation for your partials as they would for individual teeth.

The process is fairly simple. The post or posts are inserted into your jawbone and covered with a flap of gum. After six-to-12 weeks of healing, they’re deemed strong enough to support the force generated when you chew. The gum flaps are once again pulled back, abutments are attached to the implants, and the gums are allowed to heal around the abutments. Once healed, the crowns are attached, and your new teeth are ready to take on the world.

Modern dentures are not the hassle they once were. If you have missing teeth but have been avoiding getting them fixed because of your fear of dentures, you should ask your dentist if dental implants are right for you. That perfect smile might be easier to regain than you ever thought. Links like this.