As an intervention for tooth loss, dental implants are the closest thing to natural teeth, looking, feeling, and functioning like real teeth.
When you lose a tooth, you may feel self-conscious about how your smile looks and feels. Dental implants can help your confidence and allow you to smile and laugh without holding back.
Contact us to get an accurate diagnosis and viable options for tooth loss.
What are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a screwlike post implanted into the jawbone during a surgical procedure to replace a tooth’s root and provide support for an artificial tooth or teeth.
Reasons to Replace Missing Teeth
Missing or damaged teeth can lead to dental issues that affect more than just your oral health. Over time, a missing tooth may result in jaw bone atrophy (reduction of jaw bone mass).
Left untreated, tooth loss can cause noticeable changes in your facial features, such as a gaunt appearance or hollowed cheeks. Dental implants can prevent this from happening.
What to Expect When Getting A Dental Implant
If a natural tooth is too far gone to save, then a patient’s next best option is getting a dental implant which is a treatment that happens in the following stages:
- Remove the decayed or damaged tooth if not yet missing
- Bone grafting, when needed
- Implant post placement
- Healing and bone growth
- Placement of the abutment
- Placement of the implant crown/artificial tooth
Once the implant post is in the jaw, the bone can require several months to heal. During this time, the bone fuses to the post in a process called osseointegration to provide a firm foundation for the replacement tooth.
The entire process depends on your unique situation. Our dentists will work with you to develop a comprehensive treatment plan.
If your jawbone needs grafting before your dental implant surgery, we may refer you to an oral surgeon specialist to do the bone graft and implant post placement. Once healed, you can return to Main Street Dental for the implant crown or implant denture creation and final attachment.
Contact us to learn more about dental implants and get a cost estimate.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants have several benefits, including:
Restore chewing function: Because dental implant surgery involves replacing the tooth root with a titanium post, you can use your replacement tooth just like a natural tooth.
Enhanced aesthetics: With today’s high-quality dental materials, we can craft dental implants that offer the most natural-looking results.
Prevent bone deterioration: Dental implants restore jaw bone stimulation that is lacking after tooth loss, helping to prevent bone loss.
Dental Implant Crown Restoration
In rare cases, your dental implant crown can come loose or get damaged. If a problem occurs with your dental implants, Dr. John Shultz and Dr. Claudia Raimondo can provide implant crown restorations. We also help maintain dental implant crowns during regular checkups and cleanings.
Main Street Dental offers various dental services, including dental implant crowns. Contact us at (254) 840-2991 to schedule an appointment for a diagnosis with our dental office in McGregor, TX.
