Modern-Day Tooth Replacement
For many years, replacing missing teeth meant either a bridge or a denture. Dental implants are a modern solution for replacing missing teeth. The result of an accidental discovery in the 1950s, dental implants use small titanium posts that are surgically placed into your jawbone to provide support for your replacement teeth. Your bone fuses to the titanium as you heal, integrating the material into your jaw. This turns the posts into sturdy replacement roots that hold your new teeth, made from ceramic, securely in place.
Versatility for Many Needs
Dental implants can be used to meet many different needs. We offer several different types of dental implants, including:
| • | Single tooth. A single tooth implant replaces an individual tooth. One post supports a single ceramic crown. |
| • | Multiple teeth. A multiple tooth implant, or implant supported bridge, replace two or more consecutive teeth. |
| • | Full arch restorations. A full arch restoration replaces an entire arch of teeth. Typically, this restoration requires the use of 6 to 8 implant posts to hold the arch in place. |
| • | All-on-4® Treatment Concept. All-on-4 is a full arch restoration that is used when your jawbone is too weak to support the usual number of implant posts. When the bone is too weak, the posts may fail. The failure of even one post could mean the failure of the entire restoration. With All-on-4, we use only 4 posts, which are placed to take advantage of your existing bone mass, maximizing bone fusion without the need for a bone graft. |
The Process of Placing Dental Implants
Surgery is required to place dental implants. This procedure is generally done under a local anesthetic and sedation, which ensure your comfort during treatment. We create incisions in your gums to gain access to your jawbone. Small holes are drilled into the bone, and the titanium posts are placed inside. Your gums are then sutured closed, and temporary teeth are set into place.
Healing from dental implant surgery can take several weeks to several months. During this time, your bone gradually fuses to the titanium posts, integrating them into your jaw. Several follow up visits during your recovery allow us to monitor your healing and make sure that there are no complications. Once you have fully healed, we then design and create your final dental restorations. When they are ready, the teeth are secured into place with small screws.
Benefits of Dental Implants
There are many benefits to dental implants.
| • | Your ceramic crowns look exactly like your real teeth, perfectly restoring the quality of your smile and boosting your confidence. |
| • | Dental implants feel and function exactly like your natural teeth. You can bite and normally chew, which aids in improving digestion and nutrition. Your speech is also restored without the need to adjust how you speak to accommodate a foreign object. |
| • | Your teeth are held securely in place. They will not move around or fall out. |
| • | You can brush and floss your implants exactly like your natural teeth. |
| • | The posts restore stimulation to your jawbone, stopping and preventing bone loss in your jaw. |
Dental implants not only replace the basic eating and speaking functions of your teeth, but they also restore stimulation to your jawbone and your gorgeous, confident smile. Call Aesthetic Dentistry of Bend - Thomas E. Wold, DMD at (541) 389-0261 to schedule your consultation and find out if dental implants are the right solution for you.
Read More About Dental Implants
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The Benefits of Dental Implants
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