Creating smiles in the Silver Lake area for over 25 years
REPLACEMENT DENTAL IMPLANTS
Single Tooth or Whole Mouth Implants
Dental implants replace single, several or all teeth. Progress with dental implants has progressed tremendously in the past several years. Implants work by placing a titanium post into the supporting bone which is allowed to heal and integrate into the bone until it is stable enough to support a crown, bridge or other fixed prosthesis. Dental implants are a great alternative to treatments like bridges, partials and dentures, because they do not require the preparation of adjacent teeth or the wearing of large removable appliances. In fact, dental
implants are the most “natural” tooth replacement option there is.
To determine if you are a candidate for dental implants, a panoramic x-ray will be taken. This will allow us to evaluate the bone structure and other areas such as nasal sinuses, nerve canals and existing teeth. In some cases if there is not enough supporting bone, a bone graft may need to be performed.
Healing times vary, but almost all implant posts are firmly integrated into the bone
within 6 months. By this point a custom crown will be made and placed on an abutment, which fits
directly into the titanium post. It is essentially a tooth with a metal root. In the case of several missing teeth, the implants will be used to support a bridge. Some people even have complete implant-supported dentures, which are unique in that they do not cover the roof ofthe mouth, making eating and speech much easier and more natural.