Dental Implants:

Dental implants are permanent replacements for missing teeth. They resemble screws and are made from titanium metal. A tooth is made up of a crown and the roots; the crown is the white part you see when you smile and the root is hidden within the gum and underlying bone. 

When a tooth is extracted, both the crown and the root are removed. An implant replaces the root part of the tooth you lost. After they are placed within the bone, an artificial crown is then secured onto the embedded implant. 

Implant placement protects adjacent teeth from drilling which is required when you opt for a bridge to replace your missing tooth and unlike dentures that must be removed at night, implants are fixed.