Dental Implants

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are a sturdy and permanent solution for missing teeth. While your original tooth includes a crown and a root, your dental implant acts as the root, and a customized artificial crown attaches to the implant. From the outside, an implant-supported crown looks no different from your remaining natural teeth. 

Each dental implant is carefully crafted from titanium alloys, the same type of metal that surgeons use to replace joints. This is because titanium is biocompatible and won’t erode your bones. After your surgeon embeds the implant into your jaw, it integrates with the bone to become a sturdy foundation for your new crown. 

If your bone isn’t strong enough for an implant because of decay, disease, or an injury, you can receive a bone graft to fortify the bone and prepare it for a dental implant. 

What does the process of getting dental implants involve?

The team starts by taking an in-house CT scan to view your jawbone and make sure that implant surgery is possible. In some cases, they also take digital impressions of your teeth to use for making your crown or surgical guide.

The next step is to remove the rest of your original tooth and its root to make way for the implant. If you have an adequate amount of healthy bone in your jaw and are a candidate, the team may allow you to proceed and get Teeth-in-a-Day®. This means you can have the implant placed the same day as your extraction and wear a temporary crown out of the office. If you do not have adequate bone or your tooth is too close to anatomic structures like nerves or sinuses, a bone graft may be necessary prior to the placement of your dental implant.

Regardless of whether you get the implants the same day as the extractions or wait three to four months as the bone heals, you’ll need to wait for your bone to grow around the implant before your restorative dentist attaches the abutment and, later, your permanent crown. 

What are the benefits of getting dental implants?

If you’ve lost one or more adult teeth, you have several options for replacement. Many patients prefer dental implants over bridges and removable dentures because they:

• Are permanent
• You don’t take them in and out like dentures
• Don’t require diet modifications
• Look natural
• Let you speak clearly
• Don’t rely on other teeth for support
• Does not affect the taste of food like dentures

Despite these benefits, implants aren’t the best choice for every dental patient. You should sit down for a detailed discussion of your health and lifestyle with a member of the team at Ueno Center Dental Specialists before you start the process.

To find out if dental implants are your best choice for restoring your smile, call Ueno Center Dental Specialists or book an appointment online today.