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Dental Implants

Posted on Jun 02, 2016

While high-tech in nature, dental implants are actually more tooth-saving than traditional bridgework, since implants do not rely on neighboring teeth for support. When you have your natural teeth, you may talk, smile and laugh with confidence , and that affects how you feel about yourself, both personally and professionally. Today’s dental implants can offer replacement teeth that look and feel like your own, so you may forget you ever lost a tooth. Dental implants have helped hundreds of thousands of people, and with proper care, implants can last a lifetime. Whether you’re missing a single tooth or need a complete set of teeth, talk with Crystal Coast Dentistry about the benefits dental implants can offer.

The Facts about Dental Implants

Dental implants are the permanent way to replace missing teeth, with a look and feel that’s very close to your natural teeth. Implants are metal posts or frames surgically placed into the bone beneath your gums. The implants fuse with the jawbone providing stable support to artificial teeth, preventing individual teeth, bridges or dentures from shifting in your mouth. They are a high-tech way to replace missing teeth, and offer more stability than traditional bridgework since they do not rely on neighboring teeth for support.

Implant Supported Teeth:

  • Allow you to speak, smile and eat with confidence
  • Are comfortable and stay in place
  • Function, look and feel like natural teeth
  • Do not need adjacent teeth for support

What Happens During Treatment?

Implant treatment is usually performed by a general dentist, oral surgeon, prosthodontist, periodontist or a team of these doctors.  To devise the best treatment plan for you, we first complete a medical and dental history and a thorough oral examination with x-rays.

First, a member of your team surgically places the implant in the jaw with the top of the implant just above the top of the bone.  Generally, from three to six months or more is allowed for the bone tissue to grow around the implant and hold them securely in place.

Immediately after surgery, we will give you specific post-surgical instructions to assure the best possible healing.  In some cases, we may prescribe antibiotics to aid in the healing process and help alleviate any discomfort.  At this time you may be fitted with temporary dentures or natural-looking teeth to help you function as normally as possible.  You will need to follow important dietary and oral hygiene instructions.

Once the jawbone has firmly healed around the implant, a small post is attached to each implant.  The post protrudes through the gum line and serves as an anchor for the replacement tooth.  After your gums have fully healed, the replacement teeth or dentures are securely attached to the posts.

What are the Benefits of Dental Implants?

Because dental implants are designed to fit the structure of your natural teeth, they provide highly stable support to:

  • Replace one or more teeth without affecting adjacent teeth.
  • Support a bridge and eliminate the need for a removable partial denture.
  • Provide support for a denture, making it more secure and comfortable.

Other Benefits Include:

Increased self-confidence. Because dental implants function like natural teeth, your confidence will be renewed.

Improved biting posture. Healthy teeth are able to absorb over 500 pounds of biting pressure per square inch.  Dental implants can often restore the amount of pressure that can be withstood compared to the same level of healthy natural teeth.

Longevity and reliability. Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth.  Because implants integrate into the structure of your jawbone, they can help prevent bone loss and gum recession.  With proper oral care and regular dental visits, implants can last a lifetime.

We are excited to offer the most advanced dental implant technology to you. It’s part of our commitment to help you keep a healthy, great-looking smile for a lifetime.

This information is taken from our brochure by Smart Practice.