Dental Implants
Did you lose a tooth from trauma or extraction? Or perhaps you were born without that tooth in the first place? Dental implants can help restore your smile and protect your surrounding teeth.
In some situations, it is impossible to save a tooth. However, an implant can be used to ensure that surrounding teeth do not need to be prepared for a bridge.
YOU ARE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS IF YOU:
- Are in good health
- Have healthy gums
- Have enough bone to anchor the implants in the jaw
- Are committed to taking care of the implanted teeth with regular brushing and flossing.
Dental implants are titanium posts that are surgically positioned into the jawbone beneath your gums to provide stable support for artificial teeth. Some people who have lost bone in their jaw can still get implants, but first the bone must be augmented with a bone graft. Dentures and bridges mounted to dental implants won’t slip or shift in your mouth, which will make you feel more comfortable and confident about eating and speaking. After receiving implants, regular follow-up visits are important.
WHAT TO EXPECT
After administering local anesthesia, the implant will be carefully inserted into the bone. The gums will be sewn above the implant site and you will be left to heal for about two the three months depending on the site of the implant. At the four-month mark, a test will be done on the implant to ensure osseointegration or a fusing of the implant to the bone. At this stage, a small contoured healing cap will be attached to the implant to connect the implant to surface of the gums and help shape the gums to receive the final crown.
After two weeks an impression will be made and the healing cap will be replaced until the final insertion of your crown.
The final visit will be just as easy as the previous one. The healing cap will be removed and the permanent custom abutment will be tried along with the implant crown. Dental x-rays will be taken to ensure a quality fit and that no micro-gaps are noted between the interface of the abutment and implant.
Implant crowns can be made in two ways; there are those that are screw retained, and those that are cement retained. We will choose the best fit for your case.