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Dental Implants
- Vibrant Smile Dentistry | Dental Implants, General Dentistry & Invisalign located in Norfolk, VA
Dental Implants
A missing tooth can be embarrassing, but it’s more than just a gap in your smile. Missing teeth create oral health problems and compromise the health of remaining teeth. Dental implants are a popular, permanent option to fill the gap left by a lost tooth. Monleudy Bracken, DDS, and the team at Vibrant Smile Dentistry in Norfolk, Virginia, offer expertise in restorative dentistry and dental implants to adults of all ages. Schedule an appointment online or call the office to learn more.
A missing tooth can cause more problems with your bit than just an unsightly appearance. Teeth may shift to fill in the space, changing your bite and smile. It can also cause your jawbone to shrink, which can change your appearance even when you aren’t smiling. Everyday tasks such as talking or chewing become more difficult when teeth are missing. Though bridges and dentures can be a solution to missing teeth, they are less ideal than a permanent implant. An implant takes the place of a missing tooth or teeth and preserves the jaw bone, preventing from shrinking and changing.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
Dental implants are the gold standard for restoring missing teeth. Patients with one or more missing teeth can choose this method of restoration. Dental implants are surgically placed into your jaw bone for the most secure and realistic anchor. The cap or crown is then attached to this structure for a realistic appearance.
Implants come with a number of benefits over other methods.
- comfortable
- decreased sensitivity
- higher success rate
- improve chewing
- lower risk of cavities
- Maintains and encourages the growth of the bone
- natural
- permanent
Maintenance
After your procedure is complete, it is important to care for the implants as you would your natural teeth, including daily brushing and dental cleanings every 6 months. A follow up appointment will be necessary to make sure the gums are healthy and that the implant is healing well.
What is a dental implant?
A dental implant is a permanent solution for a missing tooth. It’s an artificial tooth root that fuses with your jawbone, so it looks and acts like a natural tooth. The dental implant is a metal rod and abutment, of which a prosthetic tooth, called a crown, fits on top.
Dental implants are a popular treatment in restorative dentistry because they have strong, stable bases. Unlike traditional dentures, which can be loose and uncomfortable, your dental implant is permanent and immovable.
When you get a dental implant, it takes two visits to Vibrant Smile Dentistry. At the first appointment, your dentist surgically places the metal rod into your jaw. You return to the office after it heals, and the dentist fits a custom crown onto the rod.
How do dental implants improve oral health?
Chewing, talking, and smiling requires more than healthy teeth. Your teeth work together with your gums and your jaw, and when a tooth is missing, it changes the way your mouth works. Remaining teeth must compensate for the missing tooth, while the gap makes everything from gum deterioration to shifting teeth more likely.
By replacing a missing tooth with an implant, you can use your mouth more naturally. The implant helps redistribute pressure across your teeth when you chew, reducing the risk of other teeth suffering damage.
The dental implant encourages healthy gum and bone growth, too. It gives your gums something to grow around, preventing gum recession, and it stimulates growth within your jawbone to keep remaining natural teeth secure.
Is a dental implant a good option for my smile?
A dental implant could be a great solution for you if you don’t have all your natural teeth, whether you’re missing a single tooth or several teeth. Getting a dental implant requires having enough healthy bone to support the implant, so if your jaw isn’t strong enough, a bone graft or a sinus lift procedure may be necessary before you get a dental implant.
Vibrant Smile Dentistry regularly recommends single implants for people with one missing tooth. You can also use a fixed-implant bridge if you have several teeth missing, and an implant-supported denture/overdenture if you have no teeth in your jaw.
Implant-retained bridges and dentures are often more secure and more comfortable than traditional restorative treatments.
How do I care for my dental implants?
It’s important to maintain strong oral hygiene when you have dental implants, but they don’t require special care. Simply brush and floss twice a day, and your dental implant can last for the rest of your lifetime.
You don’t have to live with the embarrassment and discomfort of missing teeth. Talk to the team at Vibrant Smile Dentistry about dental implants for missing tooth replacement. Schedule an appointment online or on the phone today.
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