Implant Restorations

Dental implants are the most sought-after teeth restorations used to replace missing natural teeth. Implants are composed of a metal implant stud and a ceramic crown, which replace the tooth root and the visible tooth crown, respectively. Since implants are placed directly in the jawbone, they offer several advantages that their closest alternatives do not.

Drawbacks of missing teeth

• Biting and chewing food may seem more difficult, as the teeth adjoining the gap would face severe stress due to the missing tooth. Over time, it can lead to a lot of pain and discomfort.
• The missing tooth can ruin the aesthetics of your smile. Patients with missing teeth usually feel too conscious of their facial appearance, especially when they smile, talk, or pose for pictures.
• The underlying jawbone’s health would gradually diminish when a tooth is extracted. The bone could shrink or deteriorate over time, leading to the drifting of the teeth.
• When the teeth start to drift, they can loosen from the sockets. Eventually, it can result in further tooth loss.

Why choose dental implants?

• Dental implants are known to be the best replacement for missing teeth as they offer excellent stability. With the usual oral activities, such as biting and chewing food, brushing the teeth, etc., they would stay rock-solid in the jawbone. You need not worry about the implant getting displaced.
• The ceramic and titanium used to fabricate the implants offer excellent durability.
• The metal implant stud holds the jawbone intact, thanks to the screw-like grooves present on its surface. This promotes better jawbone health.
• Implants restore oral functionality by allowing you to bite and chew food, pronounce words, etc.
• Since they are personalized to match the aesthetics of the natural teeth, they can be made to mimic the appearance of the natural teeth accurately. This keeps them indistinguishable.

How are dental implants placed?

The dentist will take you through a thorough screening procedure before suggesting dental implants. This is because dental implants require you to satisfy a few factors before confirming your candidacy for the procedure. Some of them are jawbone size, volume, spacing available, overall health condition, gum diseases, etc. Once confirmed, the dentist will prepare you for the procedure.

A highly precise digital scan of the teeth will be taken to be used as a reference for fabricating the implant crown. Next, local anesthesia will be given to numb the oral tissues before starting the surgery. A small hole will be made in the jawbone right in place of the missing tooth. The implant will be placed in it and secured with dental cement. After a healing period of a few months, the bone would have fused with the implant. We will schedule a second consultation for you.

During this surgery, we will place the connecting abutment and the prefabricated ceramic crown on the implant. They will be secured firmly using dental adhesives, and a bite test will be taken. The crown may be polished to improve its aesthetics.

To have a consultation with Dr. Lewis, please call our office at (702) 649-6859 or schedule an online consultation, and we’ll guide you further.