Permanent Dental Implants for a Lasting Smile
When you have missing teeth, an alternative solution to dentures is dental implants. While dentures are removable, dental implants provide permanent new teeth to restore your mouth’s function and appearance. Dental implants tend to offer a successful and lasting solution to the loss of some or all of your teeth.
Consider All The Benefits
Are you missing teeth? Whether it's one, several, or all of them, dental implants can help you restore a complete and beautiful smile! The popularity of dental implants is on the rise, with approximately 3 million people already having received them and the number growing by 500,000 each year. This is because dental implants offer numerous benefits compared to other methods of care.
While traditional fixed bridges and dentures are effective solutions for replacing missing teeth, dental implants have several advantages:
- Dental implants are designed to closely mimic the appearance, sensation, and functionality of natural teeth.
- With proper placement, oral hygiene, and regular maintenance, dental implants have the potential to last for many years.
- Dental implants help to stimulate the underlying bone, preventing bone loss and maintaining natural facial contours.
- Unlike removable dentures, dental implants function like natural teeth and remain secure while speaking or eating.
- Dental implants allow for comfortable speaking, eating, and enjoying a variety of foods without limitations.
- Dental implants are resistant to decay and cavities.
- Unlike fixed bridges, dental implants do not require any alteration or crowning of neighboring teeth.
Choose dental implants for a natural-looking and long-lasting solution to missing teeth.
Types Of Dental Implants
Single-tooth Implant
A traditional fixed bridge usually involves preparing and crowning teeth on both sides of the gap in the mouth to support artificial teeth called "pontics." This setup is like a bridge over water with strong pillars at each end, providing stability. On the other hand, a cantilever fixed bridge, similar to a traditional one, only attaches one side of the pontic to a crown for support.
Implant-supported Fixed Bridges
An implant-supported bridge is an effective solution for replacing multiple missing teeth. It not only preserves the health of neighboring natural teeth but also prevents bone shrinkage and maintains facial contours by providing necessary bone stimulation. Unlike a traditional fixed bridge, this type of bridge does not involve the preparation and crowning of adjacent natural teeth. Instead, it relies on strategically placed dental implants to support all the necessary crowns and replacement teeth.
Full Arch Replacement With Four Or Six Implants
Implant-supported replacement teeth offer a superior alternative to traditional dentures. This solution restores a natural-looking smile and provides the same functionality and sensation as real teeth. Unlike removable dentures, these replacement teeth are fixed in place, eliminating the need for adhesives and the hassle of cleaning. With this solution, individuals can speak, smile, and chew with confidence. Temporary teeth can be placed immediately, with a permanent set following once the implants have fully integrated with the surrounding bone.
Implant-retained Denture
An implant-supported denture is a type of denture that is connected to strategically placed implants in the upper or lower jaw. These implants serve as strong anchors for the denture, ensuring stability and retention. This increased support allows individuals to smile, speak, and eat with confidence.
Implant-supported Dentures
An implant-supported denture is a type of denture that connects to a set number of implants strategically placed in the upper or lower jaw. These implants serve as small surgical posts, providing precise attachment points for the denture and significantly improving stability and retention.
Are Dental Implants Right For Me?
If you are unsure about whether you qualify for dental implants, the process of determining your eligibility is straightforward. Lakeview Family Dentistry evaluates your smile and offers thorough responses to your questions, as well as a discussion of the best dental implant choices for you. We believe in treating each smile uniquely, developing customized treatment plans based on your medical and dental history, current oral health, desired aesthetic results, lifestyle, and financial factors.
How Are Dental Implants Placed?
It is important to carefully plan and carry out each step of dental care, from the initial treatment plan to the precise placement of dental implants and the creation and insertion of final crowns, bridges, or dentures.
Dental implant surgery is usually a minor outpatient procedure, but the complexity of the procedure depends on the type and number of implants needed and any additional preparations required for the supporting bone.
Communication is a top priority in patient care. Before your dental implant surgery, we will discuss dental anesthesia, sedation options, and provide detailed instructions for pre- and post-operative care. Our office will keep you informed throughout the entire process.
After a dental implant is placed, it takes a few months to fully integrate with the surrounding bone. Some implant solutions allow for the placement of a temporary crown or bridge on the same day, while others require waiting for complete healing and fusion with the surrounding bone before permanent prostheses can be placed.
