Why Should I Consider Dental Implants?

Dental implants are simply the best way to replace missing teeth. Teeth often go missing as a result of damage, decay, or periodontal disease. After losing a tooth, we highly encourage patients to replace it with some sort of replacement to maintain optimal functionality and appearance of the smile. If the tooth isn’t a replacement and the gap is left empty, it’s likely the adjacent teeth will start shifting to fill the gap which can throw off the bite and cause a wide array of other problems.

With dental implants, we don’t just replace your missing tooth but your missing tooth root. Once a tooth goes missing, the jaw no longer maintains bone in that area. Bone is what keeps your teeth in place and holds your facial structure in place. Without the bone mass, faces begin to droop and look older than they are.

Although dentures are a good tooth replacement solution, patients don’t like that they feel unstable and can fall out at any time. Dental implants replace the tooth root, allowing your tooth replacement such as a dental crown or denture to stay in place which can stabilize any tooth-replacement option you need and hold it in place like a natural tooth.

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are a titanium post resembling a screw that’s surgically inserted into the jaw. It acts as an artificial tooth root to hold replacement teeth such as dental crowns or dentures in place. Depending on how many teeth you need to replace will determine how many you need. Some patients may only need 4 dental implants to replace an entire arch of teeth, while others may need more to ensure ultimate stability.

Who’s a Good Candidate?

Most patients are good candidates for dental implants. One of the most important factors that determine whether a patient is a good candidate or not is how much bone they have in their jaw. If the density is too low, it will not hold the implant in place. In this case, we may need to perform a bone graft first. We also require patients to be free of periodontal disease and other conditions that may compromise the success rate of dental implants. Please schedule a consultation with our implant dentist in Carlsbad to determine if implants are right for you.

Procedure

The first step of the dental implants procedure is mapping out the right treatment plan. Every patient has different oral health and different needs and therefore requires a personalized treatment plan. Using digital x-rays, we will create a plan to meet your needs.

The first procedure is the placement of dental implants. Our implant dentists will surgically insert a small post made of titanium into the bone socket where the missing tooth resides. We then seal up the wound and allow the area to heal for the next 6 to 12 weeks. During this time, the jawbone will heal and grow around the metal post to anchor it securely in the jaw.

After the bone is completed healed, we will make an incision to attach a small connector post called an abutment. The abutment is what will connect your replacement tooth to the dental implant. Once it’s placed, we will take impressions of your bite to create your restoration. If you’re getting a single tooth replaced with a dental crown, we will create it in our office the same day as your appointment using our CEREC. If you’re getting dentures or a different type of restoration, you will need to wait a few weeks to have it placed since it’s created in a dental lab.

As a cosmetic dentist, we ensure any tooth-replacement option you use will look completely natural and complement your face.

Benefits of Dental Implants

What makes dental implants so much more different than alternative tooth replacement options are the many benefits they offer? Our patients can look forward to experiencing these benefits for themselves.

  • Improved appearance – help you maintain a youthful appearance because they help you maintain jawbone which affects your facial appearance.
  • Improved speech – Whether you were wearing dentures or no replacement teeth before, dental implants can improve your speech since it holds the replacements in place.
  • Improved comfort – Implants feel and fit just like natural teeth. If you find wearing dentures to be uncomfortable, simply attaching them to implants can change your experience.
  • Long-lasting – designed to last for life with proper oral hygiene.
  • Easier eating – The implants hold your tooth replacements in place so you can bite into hard foods without worry again.
  • Improved confidence – Your new smile won’t just look amazing but help you feel amazing. You will no longer feel self-conscious about your missing teeth or dentures.
  • High success rate – The success rate of dental implants is up to 98%. It’s very uncommon that they fail.

Find Out if Dental Implants in Carlsbad are Right for You

Are you tired of wearing loosely fitting dentures or walking around with missing teeth? Dental implants can solve all of your problems that come with missing teeth. Contact Elevated Smiles in Carlsbad to find out if dental implants are right for you. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Luu today by calling (760) 622-3010.