Dental Implants in Granite Bay, CA.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are an option to replace missing teeth and provide a fixed solution to removable dentures. Dental implants are natural-looking replacement teeth that are fixed in the jaw. Implant treatment provides an option to correct the most troublesome cases associated with missing teeth and ill-fitting dentures.
An artificial tooth root made of titanium, an implant is surgically placed into the jawbone to support tooth-replacement structures such as crowns, bridges and dentures. While the implant mimics the root of the tooth, the replacement structure looks and feels just like a natural tooth, providing patients with a permanent solution that replicates the fit and feel of natural teeth.
Benefits Of Dental Implants
Dental implants have many benefits over other tooth-replacement methods.
Implants are placed within the gums. The crowns that are attached to them emerge in a manner similar to a natural tooth. This offers a more realistic and natural look compared to other alternatives.
The Dental Implant Procedure
- Condition and quality of the jawbone
- Number of teeth involved
Dental implant restorations usually take place over a few appointments and involve several steps:
The First Step
A dentist or oral surgeon will cut into the gum to expose the bone. One or more implants are precisely placed into the jawbone to mirror the location of the root of the missing natural tooth.
The Second Step
After appropriate healing has taken place to allow for the implant to fuse within the bone, impressions of the teeth and bite are taken to custom-fabricate a connector post or abutment, and crown.
The Final Step
At the final appointment, the oral surgeon reopens the gum to expose the implant. The abutment and crown are attached to the implant, completing the process.
Some patients may experience minor soreness after the dental implant procedure which can be treated with over the counter ibuprofen medication.
Most healthy adults are good candidates for the dental implant procedure. This technique can be sought for single-tooth replacement, multiple tooth replacement, or for full-mouth reconstruction using implant-supported dentures. Historically, dental implants were best suited to patients with a sufficient amount of natural bone height and density. Today, patients who have experienced a fair amount of bone resorption can still be good candidates for dental implants. In this situation, the dentist may recommend bone grafting to build up the jawbone so the titanium posts receive an adequate amount of stabilization.
Dental implant treatment is a minor oral surgery. As such, it comes with similar risks as any other surgery. It is rare for a patient to experience complications from dental implant surgery. If problems do occur, they are usually minor and easy to correct. Risks that are associated with dental implants include:
- Infection
- Injury to surrounding teeth or blood vessels
- Implant rejection
- Sinus problems from implants placed in the upper jaw
Dr. Mahal is dedicated to training and expanding her skills as a general and cosmetic dentist. Her educational background and continued participation in advanced training increase the likelihood of optimal results for her dental implant patients.