Implants

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are a method of tooth replacement that is superior to other tooth restorations due to the strength, durability, lifespan, and ability of implants to prevent bone loss. A titanium post is implanted into the jawbone which, over a few months, becomes integrated with it through osseointegration. The jawbone and implant fuse, forming an artificial tooth root. After this process has taken place, an abutment and crown are attached to complete the implant restoration. Implants are the only tooth restorations that restore the tooth’s underlying root as well as the crown.

This effectively transmits chewing forces to the jawbone which preserves the existing jawbone. Contact us at Swartout Dental today to schedule a consultation.

The Process of Getting Implants

Consultation

Dr. Swartout will need to perform an oral exam to rule out any oral health problems. X-rays will help us assess your underlying bone density to check that you have enough existing bone to support implants. If you don’t you may need bone grafting surgery.
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Implant Placement

After administering a local anesthetic to numb your mouth, we will drill into the jawbone and implant a titanium post. Then, the gums will be repositioned and sutured.
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Osseointegration

After this first oral surgery, you will need 3-6 months of recovery to wait for osseointegration to be complete. During this time, the jawbone will grow around the implant and it will eventually fuse if everything goes right.
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Abutment Attachment

Only after osseointegration has successfully occurred, we will reopen the gums. An abutment is attached to the implant and this helps the implant connect to the restoration.
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Restoration Placement

Impressions that we took of your teeth are used to create a crown or full-arch restoration (denture or bridge) which is placed about 6 weeks after the attachment of your abutment. This completes the implant process.
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Dental Implant Options

Placements

An implant is placed by making an incision into the gums and drilling into the jawbone so that the titanium post can be embedded into the bone. For a single tooth, this is only done once but several implants are placed to support a full arch restoration.
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Restorations

A restoration is the visible portion of the tooth that shows when you smile. This is what’s used to chew your food and what others look at when you smile in pictures. In a single-tooth implant, a crown is attached to the implant. Only in full-arch restorations will you receive a denture or bridge. This is when the patient has extensive tooth loss.
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Maintenance

Caring for and cleaning your implants is incredibly important to avoid implant failure. You need to regularly brush and floss between and around your implants. We recommend using an interdental brush to remove plaque from around the implants. You should also schedule regular maintenance appointments every 6 months so we can perform a thorough cleaning in the office to prevent any problems.
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Single-Tooth

A single-tooth implant is when we implant one titanium post and connect an abutment and dental crown to replace one tooth.
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Full-Arch

Full-arch implants are when a series of implants are placed in the jawbone to support an entire arch of teeth. After connecting O-rings which are similar to abutments, we attach your full-arch restoration in the form of a denture for removable teeth or a bridge for fixed teeth.

In some cases, we can support an entire arch of teeth with as little as four implants if we place two of them at an angle. This is known as All-On-Four and is a great option for patients with minimal bone support.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Can’t find the answer you are looking for? The staff at Blue Sky Family Dentistry is here to answer all of your dentistry-related questions. Contact us today!

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