Dental implants can change how you feel about your smile. An implant is an artificial tooth root (titanium post), which is placed into your jawbone to hold a replacement tooth or bridge in place. The tooth will look and feel like your natural teeth, leaving you with a restored, beautiful smile! You can also have your dentures attached to the implants, which will stabilize your denture.
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Contact us to learn about our dental implant specials. We offer competitive pricing discussed with you during a consultation at our offices.
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Dr. David Sullivan explains the benefits of dental implants and how they are used to restore a beautiful smile.
Implant Services Offered
- Replacing one missing tooth with a single implant
- Replacing several missing teeth with multiple implants, or an implant bridge.
- Stabilizing dentures with implants.
- Replacing a full arch of missing teeth with fixed implant-supported bridges or dentures.
- Extraction of a hopeless tooth and immediate placement of an implant.
- Placement of temporary tooth on implant if possible.
Procedure for Dental Implants
Once the doctors at Mint Hill Dentistry have worked with you and decided a dental implant is the best option for you, we will schedule your first appointment. Most implants take two to three appointments to complete over the course of three to six months. However, in some cases, referral to a specialist such as a periodontist or oral surgeon may be appropriate. If this occurs, we can recommend one for you.
A dental implant will be placed into your jaw, which looks like a small screw or cylinder. Over the next two to six months the bone in your jaw will bond with the screw, creating a secure anchor for your new tooth. In the interim, we will create a temporary tooth to be worn over your implant site.
Once your jaw and the implant have bonded, a small metal post, called an abutment, will be attached. After a few weeks of allowing your gums to heal after the placement, the doctors at Mint Hill Dentistry will have your final tooth prepared and ready to attach to the abutment.
Dental Implants Questions and Answers
By replacing missing teeth either with a bridge or implant, you will alleviate the problems associated with missing a tooth and give your smile back its beautiful, full appearance. A dental bridge is one solution to replacing a tooth. By using neighboring teeth as the supportive structure, your dentist at Mint Hill Dentistry places a porcelain restoration into the vacant space, restoring the functionality and look of your smile. A dental implant is also an excellent solution. Dental implants involve the placement of a titanium post directly into the jawbone. Once the post has bonded to the bone, it can act as a new, solid support for a natural looking, porcelain restoration. Implants can replace a single tooth, or an entire set of teeth, offering more function and permanence than traditional dentures.
No, at Mint Hill Dentistry we complete all phases of treatment (implant planning, surgical, and restorative). In rare cases, referral to a specialist may be recommended.
Come see us for a consult! This will include a thorough health history, a 3D X-Ray to evaluate the jaws, and fabrication of dental models in order to create your custom treatment plan. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
While an implant placement is a surgical procedure, most patients find that postoperative pain is minimal. When compared to extracting a tooth, most patients feel implant surgery causes less discomfort.
It is normal for the gums and the area of the jaw where the implant was placed to be sore for several days after surgery. During the actual surgery you will be numb and will not feel anything. If desired, IV sedation is an option to further minimize any discomfort associated with the procedure. IV antibiotics, analgesics, steroids, and appropriate prescription medications will all help ensure that you remain comfortable during and after the procedure.
Other ways to replace a missing tooth/teeth include a bridge and a partial denture. A bridge requires “capping” the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth and a partial denture (RPD) is a removable appliance. In some cases, a bridge or an RPD may be the best option to replace a missing tooth or teeth. However, in most cases an implant is the preferred treatment.
An implant is the longest lasting, most successful, and most predictable way to replaced a missing tooth. Implants have a 97 percent success rate and are the gold-standard for replacing missing teeth.
Once your permanent implant is in place, it will last you for many years with good care. We recommend good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing daily and keeping up with your regularly scheduled cleaning appointments.
The majority of dental implants can be performed under local anesthesia in our offices. We do also offer IV Sedation for our patients during the dental implant procedure. Visit our Sedation Dentistry page to learn more about the available options.
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