Although the treatment process for dental implants is more involved than it is for a fixed dental bridge or a conventional denture, it’s a worthy endeavor for a long-lasting tooth replacement that is nearly as functional as your biological tooth.
We encourage patients who need to replace a missing tooth to schedule a consultation at Kwon and Jabbour Dental to learn more about dental implants.
Dental implants are small cylinders made of biocompatible titanium. Because that titanium is biocompatible, the bone tissue is able to fuse with the surface of the implant. When that osseointegration process is complete, the dental implant becomes a permanent fixture in the jaw.
Dental implants can be used in virtually any tooth loss scenario, supporting a single crown, dental bridge or even a full arch restoration. This treatment can also be an option for adult patients of any age, although it may not be appropriate in children and some teens.
The most important factor in determining whether a patient is a good candidate for dental implants is the quality of bone at the dental implant site. Patients need sufficient bone tissue to support osseointegration.
As such, the bone loss that is a consequence of tooth loss can present an obstacle to patients seeking dental implants, as can congenital bone defects. When bone loss or another deficit is a potential barrier to dental implant placement, a bone graft may be advised.
The treatment process for dental implants begins with your initial evaluation at our office. We will examine the site of tooth loss and take imaging to assess the quality of bone at the implant site as well as to prepare for the procedure.
At a later date, you will return to our office to have the dental implant or implants placed. This is usually accomplished in a single appointment, and we use local anesthetic and offer sedation to make the process as comfortable as possible for you.
Many patients can get at least a temporary restoration placed the same day that the dental implant is placed. A stronger, permanent restoration can then be placed after osseointegration is complete.
At Kwon and Jabbour Dental, we both place and restore dental implants, so we are able to work with you throughout the entire dental implant treatment process. Our approach eliminates the need to work with multiple providers.
Because of the complexity of placing and restoring dental implants, detailed planning is needed for this intervention. The three-dimensional imaging tools that we use in this effort are particularly valuable.
We are able to use Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) to get a lifelike perspective of the dental implant site before we even place the implant. This tool compiles a three-dimensional image of the treatment area by combining multiple two-dimensional images into a single image.
Additionally, our innovative three-dimensional printing capacity provides us with surgical guides for more predictable dental implant placement. This tool even allows us to print restorations for your dental implants right in our office.
