When discussing dental implants with our patients they often ask us if the implants will feel like their natural teeth. Implants look like natural teeth which makes them a popular tooth replacement option, but exactly how do they feel?
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are tiny titanium screws that are implanted into the jaw bone to act as a replacement for the root of a missing tooth. The benefit of titanium is that it's biocompatible.
Biocompatibility means that the screw is able to fuse with bone and become a solid foundation for the restoration which will go on top.
The restoration portion of the implant can be a dental crown, bridge, or denture, depending on how many teeth are being replaced.
How natural do dental implants feel?
Dental implants aren't alive like a natural tooth is, and doesn’t have any nerves in it to feel sensations, so you won’t have any feeling in the implant itself. Any feeling you experience related to the implant will come from the surrounding gum tissue rather than the implant itself.
Otherwise, dental implants look and function like natural teeth. They're designed to blend in perfectly with the surrounding natural teeth, and you care for dental implants just like you care for your natural teeth.
After your implant has healed and you’ve had a few weeks to get used to it, you’ll find you hardly notice the difference at all.