Dental Implants Specialist

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are small metal posts that serve as synthetic tooth roots. The team at Menlo Park Family Dental places one, or a series of implants, during a simple surgery. Following your procedure, you return home while your mouth heals. During this time, the bone grows around each implant, fusing them to your jaw.

What are the advantages of dental implants?

Dental implants provide many advantages, including:

• Improved speech
• Easier eating
• Improved comfort
• Improved oral health
• Easier maintenance

Dental implants can also improve your physical appearance, as well as your confidence and self-esteem. If you’re missing several permanent teeth, the skin around your mouth sags. Dental implants restore structure to your jaw, eliminating this problem.

Am I a good candidate for dental implants?

If you’re a non-smoker in good oral health with a sufficient amount of jawbone to support dental implants, you’re probably a good candidate.

If you have gum disease or low bone volume, your provider might recommend periodontal treatment, a sinus lift, or an autogenous bone graft prior to moving forward with treatment.

If you have a chronic health condition like high blood pressure or diabetes or you have a compromised immune system, make sure to let the team know. These issues won’t necessarily prevent you from getting implants, but they may increase your risk of complications.

Does getting dental implants take more than one appointment?

Getting dental implants involves a series of appointments spaced out over the course of 6-12 months. While this might seem like a long time, it’s important to remember that with proper care, implants can last a lifetime.

Before placing your implants, your provider administers a local anesthetic to numb your gums. Once the anesthetic sets in, your provider places the implants.

The number of implants you receive depends on the type of restoration needed. If you’re getting crowns, your provider places one post for each missing tooth. Fixed bridges and implant-supported dentures require fewer implants. For example, implant-supported dentures can replace a full arch of teeth with just four posts.

At your second appointment, your provider uses special software and a dental computed tomography (CT) scan to take images of your remaining teeth or gums. They send your images to a dental laboratory that manufactures your crowns, a fixed bridge, or implant-supported dentures.

Several weeks later, you return to the practice for your final appointment. Your provider attaches an abutment piece to each implant and carefully connects your crowns, fixed bridge, or implant-supported dentures to the metal posts. You leave the office with a fully restored smile.

How do I keep my dental implants in good shape?

To keep your dental implants in optimal shape, brush and floss regularly and visit Menlo Park Family Dental once every six months for a professional cleaning and exam.

To learn more about the benefits of dental implants, schedule an appointment at Menlo Park Family Dental. Call the office and speak with a friendly staff member, or book a consultation online today.