Everything You Need to Know About Dental Implants

Missing teeth can be uncomfortable. It’s normal for a person to feel self-conscious while smiling, eating, or being in public if they’re not happy with their appearance. And avoiding social events can dramatically impact a person’s confidence and daily activities.

At Southtowns Dental, we believe no one should ever have to deal with the pain or embarrassment of missing teeth. That’s why we offer several dental implant options to help you feel better about yourself.

Our dental implant options have both aesthetic and health benefits. Adding a single tooth or a full denture will revamp your whole appearance, help with speech, oral health, comfort, and self-esteem. But with any surgical procedure, it’s okay if you have questions. We’re here to answer them.

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are the foundation of crowns, bridges, and dentures that we use to replace missing teeth. An implant is a metal cylinder made of titanium with convenient screw threads. It functions as an artificial tooth root to support a new tooth, bridge, or denture. Implants are inserted into the jaw with a relatively pain-free procedure that our skilled dental professionals have performed countless times.  

After the implants are placed, they will be left undisturbed for a period of several months while the surrounding bone and soft tissues grow around the implant, essentially making it as good as a permanent, natural tooth root. Following the healing phase, we enter into the restoration phase where your new tooth will be attached to the implant.

What is a Dental Implant Abutment?

An abutment is a connecting part that allows the dentist to attach the crown to the dental implant. Without the abutment, it’s not possible to directly connect the two parts.

What is a Dental Implant Crown?

An implant crown is essentially the tooth you will see and use for chewing. It’s similar to a natural tooth crown.

The Dental Implant Tooth System

There are three parts to the dental implant tooth system:

1. The implant, which is like the artificial tooth root.
2. The abutment, which is the connecting part.
3. The crown, which is the tooth.

Mini Dental Implants vs. Regular Dental Implants

What Are Dental Implants Used For?

Single tooth replacements

These replacements use a single implant as a standalone unit to replace a single tooth’s root. A single implant does not involve any treatment to the surrounding teeth.

Replacing multiple teeth

This is done by using what is known as a bridge. A dental implant bridge can replace multiple teeth by using only two implants.

Dentures

If you’re missing or losing many teeth, a hybrid denture is your best solution. It’s made with a combination of denture and bridge materials to replace all your missing teeth in one prosthesis. It’s commonly supported by four implants for the lower teeth and six implants for the upper teeth.

The Southtowns Dental Difference

Advanced dental implant technology

We have advanced technology at our office to provide the highest quality services to our patients at an affordable price. We start with complimentary consultations with the doctor where we take impressions of your mouth along with a 3D X-Ray, also known as a Cone Beam CT scan.

This new piece of technology allows us to see your jaw bone in three dimensions. We can accurately place the implants in the best location to ensure the highest success rate. From this free consult visit, we will develop your treatment plan and review the procedure and financing options.

You would typically make multiple appointments with other offices to get the surgery and then return to your dentist for the crown placement. Our dentists have advanced training and provide all of these services under one roof. 

When considering how to replace missing teeth, using dental implants is the best option. They look and function as if they were your original teeth. You can rest assured that our team has both the training and the technology to give you the highest quality in implant services – all at an affordable price.