Dental implants continue to grow in popularity. According to a study sponsored by the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, an average of 500,000 patients annually receive implants of some type. Our goal is to ensure every patient who comes through our doors gets what they need. That includes dental implants. Is this solution right for you? Here are a few examples of situations that can be remedied with this type of dental procedure.
Losing One or More Teeth in an Accident
Losing healthy teeth in some type of accident is devastating enough. The idea that you will have to wear dentures the rest of your life only makes things worse. Implants are an alternative that you want to consider. As we’ll explain, it’s possible to use an implant to fill the empty socket and cover it with a cap that looks just like the now-missing tooth. That implant will also function just like the tooth you lost.
Replacing a Severely Damaged Tooth
Perhaps you have a tooth that’s cracked or chipped. Attempting to correct the problem with veneers and caps will not be enough this time. The tooth will have to be removed and replaced with something.
While you could consider the idea of a bridge, that means altering the teeth on each side of the gap. An implant would fill in space and not require any grinding or other changes to the surrounding teeth. We can ensure the implant is securely in place and that the cap looks just like a perfectly proportioned tooth.
You’re Not Happy With Your Dentures or Partials
You lost all or most of your teeth some time back. At the time, you opted for dentures or partial dentures. The problem is that they are not a good choice for you. Between the slipping and the fact that they have never really felt comfortable around the gums, you’d like to try something else. That solution is dental implants.
When you no longer have all of your upper or lower teeth, a process known as implant-supported dentures is worth considering. We embed four to six implants in the jaw and attached a denture plate to those implants. This procedure does not irritate the gums, you don’t have to use adhesives, and the plate looks like a full set of upper or lower teeth.
If you have a partial but would like to get rid of it, we can use individual implants to fill in space. The caps are customized to ensure the scale is just right. Best of all, you can brush the caps just as you would brush your remaining natural teeth.
There’s Evidence of Some Bone Loss in the Jaw
Since losing the last of your natural teeth, the contour of your jaw has started to shift. This is natural since the tooth roots are no longer present to help keep the bone from shrinking inward. When we install implants into the spaces once occupied by natural teeth, the shifting stops. You may even notice that the slightly sunken look along the lower part of the face is a little more filled out once the implants are in position.
You Have a Cavity That Can’t Be Repaired With a Filling and Cap
Perhaps you had a cavity filled years ago but it’s now loose. A closer look confirms that the tooth is basically a shell now. We could replace the filling and install a new cap, but the result would not last that long. A better solution is to remove the remainder of the tooth and replace it with an implant. Once that’s done, the implant could last the rest of your life.
An Infection Means You Are About to Lose Several Teeth
Gum infections can be severe enough to require removing several teeth. When that happens, dental implants are the perfect replacement. After ensuring the infection is cured, our team will install the implants and begin preparing custom caps to fit each one. Along with no longer dealing with the pain, the implants and caps will ensure your smile looks great.
Do you have questions about dental implants? We are happy to help. Call us today and schedule a consultation and insurance information. If you have a condition that merits the use of implants, we’ll talk about your options and what you should expect. When you’re ready, we’ll ensure the work is done quickly and expertly.
