Dental Implants

A dental implant is an excellent treatment for replacing missing teeth.   Why replace mising teeth?  Teeth need each other for support.  When you lose a tooth, the biting forces change on the teeth next to the space, causing the teeth to shift.  In addition, the opposing teeth no longer have anything to chew against, so they may begin to extrude out of their sockets.  These changes create places around the teeth that are hard to keep clean, so plaque and bacteria accumulate quickly.  This accumulation can cause tooth decay and periodontal disease.

Changes in the bite can also put improper chewing forces on the shifted teeth, and this can lead to loose teeth and loss of jawbone, especially when periodontal disease is already present in your mouth.  An uneven bite makes it harder to chew your food and may lead to grinding and clenching.  A bad bite can also create painful problems with your jaw joint, the TMJ.

A root form implant is the most common kind of dental implant.  It is a small, titanium post that replaces the roots of a missing tooth.  A custom fitted artificial tooth, is secured to the implant, which holds the restoration firmly in place.

An implant can support a variety of restorations, such as a single crown, multi-unit bridges, and full arch dentures.  

Depending on the situation, placing an implant involves several phases, and treatment times can widely vary.  First we determine if an implant is right for you.  We discuss your health history and treatment goals and perform a comprehensive examination to check the health of your gums and jawbone.  We determine if you need any additional procedures, such as bone grafting or gum surgery.

To begin the procedure, a channel is shaped in the jawbone, and then the implant is placed into the prepared space.  At this point, it may be possible to place a temporary restoration.  Over the course of the next few months, the implant will become securely fused to the bone.  The last step is to attach your final restoration to the implant.