THE GOAL OF ESTHETIC
IMPLANT DENTISTRY:
to turn a dull smile ...
into a dazzling one !!
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?
Before we begin any treatment, we will talk with you about your personal goals for your smile and perform a thorough exam to check your oral health. It is important that we maintain good function in addition to enhancing beauty.
After the thorough examination, we will discuss what is best for your particular case and answer all your questions.
Cosmetic dentistry can help enhance your confidence, improve the health of your teeth, and often, give you a more youthful smile. If you have unattractive teeth, we can design a plan to help you get the smile you have always wanted.
What is a Dental Implant?
Dental implants are artificial tooth replacements. A dental implant is an excellent treatment for replacing missing teeth. 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, called an abutment, is secured to the implant, which holds the final restoration firmly in place.
The benefits of an implant
An implant has several benefits.
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Like the roots of natural teeth, it stimulates the jawbone when you chew. This preserves the jawbone and keeps it healthy.
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An implant is as strong or stronger as the original tooth, is comfortable, and is secure. When the restoration is in place, the implant looks and feels much like natural teeth.
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With an implant, unlike a natural tooth, there is no problem with decay. Many patients have lost teeth due to decay and can now have peace of mind that this will no longer be a problem for them.
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Implants can help stabilize a loose denture by providing an anchor for that denture to attach.
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An implant can keep the adjacent and opposing teeth from shifting and tilting into a “collapsed bite”. This shifting can result in a change in the biting forces on those teeth causing trauma and loss of bone around those teeth as well as making it more difficult to chew your food.
How is an implant used?
An implant can support a variety of restorations, such as a single crown, multi-unit bridges, and full arch dentures. Some restorations, like a single crown and most bridges, are not removable. Others, like many full-arch dentures, can be removed for sleeping and cleaning.
Diagnosis and treatment
Depending on the situation, placing an implant involves from two to several phases, and treatment times can widely vary from a few months to as long as a year. 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. Over the course of the next few months, the implant will become securely fused to the bone. The last step is to attach your beautiful final restoration to the implant.
With careful homecare and regular checkups and cleanings here in our office, an implant can be an excellent long-term solution for missing teeth.