Dental Implants
What are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a restoration that is meant to replace a missing tooth within the mouth. Implants are relatively permanent restorations that work with your body to replace missing dentition. They are often made of titanium, and they will bond with the jawbone in just a few short months after treatment. Once healed, a crown or bridge can be made to fit over the new implant.
Why might Dental Implants be needed?
You might be missing a tooth and are looking for a way to replace it without compromising surrounding teeth or having to wear a partial denture. Implants are ideal for most people and because they work independently, you won’t be doing damage to surrounding teeth. The metal rod of the implant is inserted deep into the jawbone. Once there, the implant fuses naturally with the bone and becomes a solid foundation for a lot of different restorations.
Who is a candidate for Dental Implants?
Most patients are good candidates for dental implants. The implant itself will need to have enough solid, healthy bone to fuse with over time. If you’re suffering from bone loss, we might recommend a bone grafting. This helps to provide the implant with solid bone so that it is able to heal properly.
What happens during the Dental Implant procedure?
The first step to placing an implant involves providing you with sedation of some kind. This will help to relax you during treatment and improve your experience in the office. We then create a small incision through the gums and drill a thin tunnel-like hole into the underlying jawbone. The implant is placed into this hole and you’ll be given important aftercare instructions to help the area to heal. You can expect your implant to heal in just a few short months. Once healed, we’ll make a crown or bridge to place over the implant to restore your smile.
If you would like to know more about dental implants and how they work, call our office today to speak with one of our helpful team members.