Dental Implants
What are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a restoration that is used to replace a missing tooth within the mouth. Most often, implants are made of titanium, which allows them to provide durability and resilience. Implants replace both the upper and lower portion of a missing tooth. This allows them to work independently, which prevents the need to compromise surrounding dentition.
Why would Dental Implants be needed?
An implant is most often needed if you’re completely missing one or more of your own natural teeth. Rather than wear a partial denture or having to compromise surrounding teeth, an implant can be placed into the jawbone itself. Over time, the implant fuses with the surrounding bone and becomes a part of your smile. A crown, fixed bridge or even a full overdenture can then be placed over the healed implant.
Who is a candidate for Dental Implants?
Implants need healthy bone structure to fuse with over the course of several months. If you’re missing bone, we may recommend having a bone grafting done. This procedure helps to build up the area where bone is missing, which can give the implants more surface to bone with as they heal. With the help of an exam and series of special x-rays, we can determine if implants are right for you.
What can you expect during surgery for Dental Implants?
The surgery begins with sedation or anesthetic of your choosing. We will discuss your sedative options during your consultation appointment. We then make an incision through the gum line to gain access to the bone underneath. A tunnel-like hole is then created and the titanium implant placed inside of this hole. In just three to nine months, the implant will bond with this bone and become a solid part of your smile. Once the implant has healed, we’ll make another dental restoration, like a crown or bridge, that sits over the top of it.
If you’d like to learn more about implants and how they work, call us today to speak with one of our knowledgeable staff members. Our office offers low wait times and a one-on-one approach to care to deliver high-quality results to our patients.