Missing or damaged teeth can severely affect the health and function of your teeth and mouth. The gaps caused by missing teeth can cause remaining teeth to shift, bone loss in your jaw, bite irregularities and serious gum disease.
If you have missing or damaged teeth, dental implants are the best way to restore the health and appearance of your smile. Implants are a permanent tooth replacement solution that provide optimal treatment results.
Unlike dentures that sit on top of the gums, implants are attached directly to your jawbone. They are topped with custom replacement teeth that blend in effortlessly with your natural teeth and function as well as a healthy set of teeth. Dental implants use a titanium screw to replace the root of a missing or damaged tooth. This screw holds the replacement ceramic tooth, also known as a crown, that is precisely made to match and blend in with your surrounding natural teeth.
Implants can be used to replace a single tooth; multiple teeth when two or more teeth in a row are missing; or full arch reconstruction if you have more severely damage or missing teeth. Implants can also support a bridge, replace a partial denture, or be used as anchor teeth for dentures.
To protect the health of your teeth and gums, it is important to treat a missing or damaged tooth as soon as possible. Early treatment is the best way to prevent more serious problems and more costly restorative dental treatments in the future.
When you come to Bliss Dental Group for dental implants, we used advanced dental imaging technology to create a 3-D model of your teeth, mouth, and jaw. Using this model, we design an individualized treatment plan that shows not only what needs to be done, but what results you can expect from treatment. This allows you to picture just what your healthy, restored smile will look like ahead of treatment.
The length of time it takes to complete a dental implant treatment varies, depending on your individual needs. For instance, you may need to see a periodontist or other dental specialist for additional treatment prior your dental implant procedure.
Once your teeth and jaw are ready for the dental implant, the first step is attaching the titanium screw to your jawbone. Attaching the screw to the bone ensures that the implant will ultimately become sturdy and stable enough to support the replacement tooth. Typically, there is a healing period following the implantation of the titanium screw. As the implant heals, bone grows around the implant, further securing it firmly in place.
The next step is adding a post, called an abutment, which connects the replacement tooth to the screw. There is also a healing time following this step, as the gums surrounding the implant make room for the crown.
The final step is the placement of the crown. At Bliss Dental Group, we create a custom crown using our CEREC technology. Dental implant crowns created with CEREC are precisely fit and can be easily matched to the shade of your surrounding teeth. Long-lasting, durable CEREC crowns are the closest thing to having your natural tooth!
The recovery times after a dental implant vary by patient but are typically as short as 1 to 2 days. While local anesthetic prevents discomfort during the procedure, dental implant patients may experience achiness or soreness at the site of the implant afterwards. These symptoms can be easily controlled with over the counter or prescription pain medication.
Patients who require more involved implant procedures, like pre-implant bone grafts, often experience longer recovery times. More involved procedures also usually require longer periods of wait times between implant stages.
Dental implants do not just protect the health your smile. Missing and damaged teeth can negatively affect your appearance, from bone density loss or from the look of affected teeth. The jawbone density loss associated with missing teeth can alter the shape of your face, narrowing your jawline and making your face look sunken. A dental implant stimulates the jawbone, helping to keep it strong and to maintain its natural width.
Not only do CEREC crowns match the hue of your surrounding teeth, they are made with a ceramic material that reflects the light in the same way as a natural tooth. With CEREC crowns, you can be the only one to know that you have an implant at all.
If you have a missing or damaged teeth, dental implants are the best way to restore and protect not only your oral health, but the appearance of your smile. At Bliss Dental Group, we can offer you dental implants that use the most advanced dental technologies to ensure successful treatment outcomes and the longevity of your beautiful smile!
If you have been considering dental implants, contact our office today to schedule a consultation!
