Dental Implants

Dental implants are the future of dentistry. They are currently being used in a variety of ways such as simply replacing one tooth or multiple implants to replace many missing teeth or to help support a denture.

A dental implant is a specially machined “screw” composed of pure titanium. This screw, when inserted into the jaw bone, will actually fuse to the surrounding bone. After it is placed, it is allowed to heal undisturbed for a few months allowing the implant to “integrate”. After integration is achieved the implant is then restored with a crown, bridge or denture.

We work closely with the oral surgeon as a team to provide a treatment plan for you. The implants are placed in an Oral Surgeon’s office and restored in our office.

Is it Painful? - Implants are placed at an oral surgeon’s office. Usually, only local anesthetic is necessary. The surgery requires an incision through the gum tissue to expose the bone. Sometimes sutures may be used at the site to help the gum tissue cover the implant. The healing of the incision after the surgery is usually minimally uncomfortable and lasts a few days.

Am I a Candidate? - Not everyone is a candidate for dental implants. You must be in good health and have healthy gums for an implant to be successful. You also need a sufficient amount of bone. For this reason, it is most advantageous to place an implant within 3 months of loosing a tooth. While treatment planning, sometimes special x-rays are necessary to determine if there is a sufficient amount of bone and/or to get an idea of the position of any surrounding structures that may affect implant placement such as other teeth or the nasal sinuses. If it is determined that there is not a sufficient amount of bone then further procedures such as bone grafting and/or a sinus lift may be necessary

Care of an Implant - A dental implant is a significant investment. To protect your investment good oral hygiene is a must and you will need to come in for regular cleanings to keep the site clean and to monitor the implant.