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A dental implant is not a commodity. There are no two clinical scenarios and patient circumstances alike. It’s about restoring health, function and preventing the consequences that follow tooth loss. Many clinical and personal factors play into the design and creation of a tooth replacement option. A personalized treatment plan for oral health is never a one size fits all. A vision of the final treatment plan determines the position of the dental implant and the treatment sequence of the surgery will be based on the overall therapy chosen to ensure precision, predictability and safety.
Generally, your dental implant will last 15 to 20 years. So many factors come into play, the biggest being your homecare and frequency you see the Dental Hygienist. Overall systemic health and maintenance are key. We have seen dental implants last a lifetime.
The degree of post-operative discomfort is directly related to how extensive your therapy is. For a single tooth replacement we regularly hear “I took one ibuprofen before the local anesthetic wore off and I was fine…” Many patients return to work and routine the same day as surgery.
In some cases where all of the teeth are already missing or hopeless, it’s possible to place multiple implants, four to eight, in one arch and splint the implants together with a prosthesis that will be worn while everything heals. After the four to six-month integration period, the final prosthetic can be fabricated. When having a single tooth or couple of teeth replaced with dental implants, it takes several months for the same integration before getting your final restoration. If it’s a front tooth that is being replaced, we often place a provisional restoration that will look like a natural tooth.
Dental implant therapy is very predictable, and we have minimal complications. To prevent post-surgery infection, we typically prescribe antibiotics and provide you with written home care instructions. We evaluate you two weeks after surgery and are available anytime for questions and concerns
Our focus has always been mimicking nature, we live for it. The biggest factor is you. How far is your current condition from where we would ideally end up? How long have you been missing the tooth, what condition is your bone and gum tissue and what are you willing to do to get the ideal result? We are committed and ready.
Dental implants are our go-to replacement option because it doesn’t affect the neighboring teeth. It keeps a single tooth loss confined to a single implant. It doesn’t compromise otherwise healthy teeth and possibly complicate treatment in the future. And in some cases, implants are the only option because all of the teeth are missing.