Dental implants are a great solution if you have missing teeth or need an extraction. A single dental implant comprises a titanium anchor or post, an abutment, and a dental crown. Dental implants can restore dental crowns, dental bridges, and dentures. Whether you need to replace a single lost tooth or all of the teeth in your smile, treatment with dental implants in our Carrollton, TX, office can help.
Dental implants can give you back a natural-looking, comfortable smile. Tooth implants are one of the restorative dentistry treatments we provide our patients in Carrollton.
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant consists of three parts:
- Implant post: An implant post is a small screw made of titanium. This medical-grade material will fuse with your jaw bone.
- Abutment: This connector piece links the implant post to the crown, bridge, or denture.
- Crown: A single implant uses a dental crown. This tooth cap matches the shape and shade of a natural tooth. However, implants can also secure bridges or dentures in place.
Implants are biocompatible, meaning once the post fuses with the jaw, it will become a natural part of the mouth. You will not have adverse reactions to implant treatment.
Am I A Candidate For Dental Implants?
The best implant candidates have all three of these qualifications:
- Good oral health: Your teeth and gums must be healthy enough to support your implants. We will treat problems like tooth infections, gum disease, and abscesses before treatment.
- Healthy jaw bone: During the implant process, the jaw bone grows around the implant post. Implant stability depends on the jaw bone. We recommend bone grafting if you do not have enough jaw bone for implant treatment. This treatment takes donor bone or bone from another part of your mouth and places it where needed.
- Missing teeth: Whether you have one missing tooth or all of your teeth missing, implants can help. We can also replace an old restoration with an implant-supported restoration.
You must also consider implant costs before your treatment. The cost of dental implants often depends on pretreatments, the number of missing teeth, and your type of restoration.
Implants often cost more than traditional restorations because they require surgery and different materials. However, dental implants are permanent. Implant restorations also last longer, when secured by dental implants.
The Benefits of Dental Implants
Life with implants will be much more comfortable than without. Patients who receive dental implants benefit from the following:
- Natural Look and Feel: Implants secure custom-made restorations that match the shape and shade of natural teeth. Additionally, because dental implants restore teeth at the root, they will feel like natural teeth.
- Bite Function: Missing tooth gaps make it hard to eat certain foods. After losing permanent teeth, you may find it hard to eat healthy foods. You may lose valuable vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Compared to removable dentures, implants restore a large percentage of your bite function for easy eating.
- Improved Speech: Removable restorations or gaps in your smile may make pronouncing “ch” or “th” sounds harder. Replacing missing teeth with implants creates a fuller smile to help you speak easily and clearly.
- Bone Retention: After you lose a permanent tooth, your jaw loses support from the tooth root. As a result, you can experience jaw recession. Jaw bone loss changes your facial appearance and can make you look older. Restoring missing teeth with implants helps support jaw health and improve facial shape.
Unlike removable restorations like traditional dentures, implant-secured restorations last longer and feel more secure. Dental implant-supported restorations also improve the smile’s aesthetics by restoring gaps and combatting problems like facial sagging. Implants support healthy bone and gum tissue to create a natural-looking smile.
Treatment with Dental Implants in Carrollton, TX
Before dental implant treatment, we will thoroughly examine your smile to determine if you are a candidate for treatment. Some patients may require bone grafting to have sufficient jaw bone to secure their implants.
Other patients may need periodontal therapy, root canal treatment, or tooth extractions to remove tooth and gum infections. Once you are healthy, we will begin treatment.
We will place the implants in the jaw bone beneath the gums, where they will act as replacement tooth roots. Then, we can place a healing cap over the implants while waiting for them to heal. If we do not place the cap, we will place the abutment later.
Over a healing period called osseointegration, the implant posts fuse with the jawbone to create a stable foundation for dental restoration. Healing can take three to six months. Our office will keep track of your healing until you return for impressions.
We recommend that you stop smoking or using tobacco products as your implants heal. The nicotine can restrict the blood vessels, which slows your healing and increases the risk of implant failure.
Once the implants fully heal, we will attach the abutments and wait for your gums to heal. Meanwhile, technicians will create your final implant restoration in a dental lab.
Finally, you will return to our office, where we will attach the permanent, custom-made restoration.
Caring for Dental Implants
Like natural teeth, implant restorations need brushing and flossing to prevent infection. If you develop a tooth or gum infection, you are at risk of peri-implantitis. This condition is marked by swollen, bleeding gums around your implants and shifting or loose implants. Contact us when you notice changes in your tooth or gum health following implant treatment.
When cleaning your implants, you can use an interdental brush or water flosser to get between each tooth. Then, brush with a soft toothbrush. Ensure you clean the front, top, and sides of each tooth. Additionally, gently brush the gums and your tongue. If you have questions about cleaning your implant restoration, please ask. We can provide tips to ensure your teeth, gums, and implants stay healthy.
Restore Missing Teeth Today
Are you missing one or more permanent teeth and want a lasting dental restoration? Call Hebron Family Dental for dental implants in Carrollton, TX, at 972-236-5871 . You may also schedule a dental appointment with us online.
Our dental office serves Coppell, Addison, Farmers Branch, Highland Village, and Lantana. We also serve Copper Canyon, The Colony, Double Oak, Bartonville, and Lewisville patients.