Dental implants are durable, strong, and have high success rates. A high degree of customization helps dental implants look and feel like natural teeth. Below are three things dentists use to customize dental implants for each patient. 

1. Custom Abutments

A dental implant comprises three parts. The fixture is the artificial material the dentist inserts into the jawbone and acts as your new tooth's root. The prosthetic is the visible restoration that mimics your lost tooth crown. The abutment connects the fixture and prosthetic.

Abutments are available in two main types: stock and custom abutments. Manufacturers prefabricate and mass-produce stock abutments for use by all patients. A dental laboratory customizes and produces a custom abutment to fit a specific patient.

A custom abutment has several advantages over a stock abutment. For example, a customized abutment:

• Provides maximum comfort due to the exact fit
• Creates a natural-looking connection between the fixture and prosthetic
• Encourages good dental hygiene since the fit prevents debris from collecting at the connection junction

Experienced dentists have access to good dental laboratories for abutment customization. Talk to your dentist about a custom abutment.

2. All-Porcelain Crowns

Dental crowns are prosthetics that dentists use on dental implants. The crowns are available in different materials, each with pros and cons. Some materials mimic your teeth better than others. For example, people can easily notice if you have metallic crowns, especially on the front teeth. On the other hand, porcelain crowns look like natural teeth, which means people cannot easily tell them apart from your teeth.

Porcelain crowns are available in two varieties: porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns and all-porcelain crowns. Procelain-fused-to-metal crowns comprise a metal base and a porcelain top. The metal base may show and ruin the implant's natural tooth look. A better alternative is the all-porcelain crown made from a single material that fully mimics the natural tooth.

3. Color Matching

Natural teeth are light-colored but come in different shades for different people. Your implant should match your natural teeth color as closely as possible if you want the two to be indistinguishable. The dentist will evaluate the shade of the teeth adjacent to the missing one to help match your artificial and existing teeth. The dentist will also take multiple photographs of your teeth for better customization. Many dentists use computer programs for precise matching. This process is crucial since you cannot change your implant's color later.

Contact a local dentist to learn more about dental implants.