Dental implants have become the most appealing option for replacing one or more missing or failing teeth. When you undergo placement, you’ll likely find that your new teeth look and feel just like natural teeth, allowing you to smile and eat with ease and confidence. They can also improve your overall oral health by preventing bone loss and protecting your remaining teeth from further damage. If you are missing one or more teeth and want a permanent restorative solution, dental implants could be the right choice for you.
Our oral surgeons have years of experience with this restoration option and developing treatment plans to address a wide variety of oral health conditions. Whether you are missing one tooth or multiple teeth, we encourage you to schedule a consultation at one of our offices to start moving toward your new smile.
How Dental Implants Work
Implants consist of three parts: the titanium screw, the connecting abutment, and the prosthetic crown. The titanium screw is the base of the implant, which replaces the tooth’s root. Once it is surgically set in the jaw, the titanium integrates with the jaw bone and prevents bone loss. When the surgical site has healed, the abutment (which acts as a connector piece to secure the crown) is attached to the screw. The crown is then affixed to this abutment. Your crown is custom-made to function, feel, and look just like a natural tooth. Once the entire process is complete, the implant is extremely secure, so there is little to no risk of your new tooth slipping or falling out.
Benefits of Dental Implant Placement
Dental implants are the best option available for replacing missing teeth because they offer many advantages over traditional tooth replacement options.
They are extremely versatile. Through advances in dental implant technology, oral surgeons can treat many conditions using dental implants. They can replace individual missing or non-restorable teeth, secure an implant-supported bridge to restore multiple missing teeth, anchor orthodontic devices, or even secure a full arch of brand new teeth.
Caring for your them is simple and easy. Following the placement, they require little extra care aside from regular brushing and flossing. With proper oral hygiene, they can last a lifetime – they have an incredibly high success rate of over 98%. You can smile and speak with confidence. They look and feel just like your natural teeth, so you can show off your new smile and speak confidently.
They are permanent and very stable. With proper care, your implant can last a lifetime, allowing you to enjoy the foods you love without worrying about your denture, bridge, or flipper breaking or falling out.
They promote healthy bones and teeth. Implants stimulate the jaw bone, which helps to prevent bone deterioration. Dental implants can also take some of the pressure off of your remaining healthy teeth, which can become worn down from overuse when teeth are missing.
Am I a Candidate for Dental Implants?
In general, if you are healthy enough to have a dental extraction procedure, you are likely also healthy enough to receive dental implants. You may not have enough bone in the area surrounding the tooth site to receive them immediately. In this case, our surgeons offer a variety of bone grafting procedures in that restore the height and width of bone necessary to place dental implants securely and ensure a confident smile for years to come.
The Dental Implant Procedure
Before your surgery, you will work hand in hand with your oral surgeon to select the anesthesia option most comfortable for you. You may undergo additional diagnostic imaging to assist your surgeon in formulating the best plan for placement. Our offices are equipped with 3D cone beam CT scanners, this modern technology provides the most accurate and well-fitting restorations possible and reduces the total amount of appointments and time it takes to have your restoration placed.
If you are undergoing a tooth extraction, often the dental implant is placed at the same time as your tooth removal. In most cases, patients undergo a short healing period before receiving their new restorative crown. Once the area is ready to be restored your dentist will take the impressions and you will have your restoration completed a few weeks later.
Dental Implants
The best way to find out if dental implants are right for you is to schedule a consultation appointment with one of our highly trained oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Our oral surgeons are experts in dental implant placement and have years of experience. We can help determine whether or not you are a candidate for dental implants and develop a personalized treatment for your tooth replacement needs.
Contact Pacific Coast Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery today to schedule your consultation with our oral surgeons, Dr. Cho, Dr. Hammoudeh, Dr. Odono, Dr. Tung, Dr. Urata or Dr. Yip, and learn more about implant dentistry in Glendale, Arcadia, Mission Hills, Newhall and Pasadena, California.