Dental Implants
In 1952, an amazing accidental discovery occurred. Dr. Branemark and his team when working in a lab, chose to use more cost-effective titanium screws rather than the traditional stainless steel screws. Upon attempted removal of the screws after healing, he found that titanium allowed bone growth and he could not remove the screws. This small discovery revolutionized the medical field. Over the past 60 years dentists and physicians have been perfecting the science that this small discovery showed us. So began the birth of implant dentistry.
A dental implant is composed of three main parts:
- Crown: Affixed on top of the abutment that looks like your natural tooth
- Abutment: Screws into the implant and connects the implant to the dental crown
- Implant: Titanium tooth root surgically anchored into the jaw
Dental implants are a versatile option to restore missing teeth. They can be used to replace a missing single tooth, support a removable denture, or even replace a full arch of teeth.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What to Expect From a Dental Implant Professional?
If you are wondering if dental implants are right for you, we would recommend you start with a free consultation with one of our dentists. At this consultation, we will perform a complete oral exam, analyzing your teeth, bite, and state of your oral health. If your jawbone lacks the necessary volume or height of bone then a bone graft may be discussed.
The length of treatment times varies and is heavily dependent on the available bone. It also depends greatly on adjacent anatomical structures such as nerves, blood vessels, and sinuses.
Once you decide to move forward with treatment, oftentimes an immediate implant can be completed the same day as the extraction. In some cases, a temporary tooth can even be placed immediately on the implant.
Variation of implant healing time depends on the person and can be 0 days (you receive an immediate temporary tooth/teeth) to 8 months (bone and implant requiring healing and delayed placement). This timing will be discussed in your initial consultation.
What Should I Expect After My Visit?
Post-operative pain and discomfort can vary from patient to patient. Oftentimes patients experience minimal pain and swelling. More significant grafting or site preparation may result in increased discomfort. The appropriate medications and instructions will be given to you depending on your specific case’s requirements.
Feel free to give us a call with questions or schedule a free consultation today. Our dentists at Riverbend Family Dentistry conveniently located in Jupiter Farms can help you to customize a dental implant option that is right for you.
Are Dental Implants Successful?
Research shows that dental implants are both safe and effective. More than 96% of dental implants are successful. When planned and placed properly they are one of the highest success rate surgeries done in any field of medicine.
How Long do Dental Implants Last?
Dental implants can last up to a lifetime! That’s because they aren’t susceptible to the same things that affect natural teeth like decay. They are however susceptible to gum disease and just as you can develop periodontitis(gum infection around a tooth), you can also develop peri-implantitis (gum infection around an implant). This can be avoided with proper home care including brushing and flossing(or water picking).
Check out our work!
To view a before and after result, simply hover over the middle icon cursor;
Slide the cursor left to view the before photo and slide the cursor to the right to view the patient’s improved smile results.
This patient had received dental work in the past that was failing and unaesthetic. Unfortunately her teeth were unable to be saved due to gum disease. Her teeth were replaced with an implant retained denture completed in a single day.
After decades of wear and tear on older generation porcelain crowns, this patient came to us with missing back teeth, fractures, and the hopes for a new smile. Using a combination of crowns and implants we were able to bring this patient’s smile back to life.
