Dental Implants in Reseda, CA
By nearly every measure, dental implants are the closest you can get to natural teeth.
Dental implants are similar to natural teeth in that they both have a sturdy root that holds them in the jawbone and both dental implants and natural teeth have a strong, attractive crown that sits above the gum line. And, like natural teeth, dental implants stand on their own without affecting other teeth. Dental implants provide great stability and cosmetic appeal.
A dental implant is a titanium post that your dentist in Reseda, CA, surgically places into your jawbone. In a process known as osseointegration, the implant fuses with your jawbone over the span of a few months. The titanium composition of the post allows it to integrate with the bone without the body recognizing it as a foreign object.
This dental implant post creates an artificial tooth root that holds a crown that looks and feels like a natural tooth. Dental implants stand on their own, without relying on or affecting other teeth. This is quite different from other tooth replacements, such as bridges and partial dentures.
About Tooth Loss, Tooth Replacement Options and Dental Implants in Reseda, CA
Adults should have 32 teeth, but many have 4 wisdom teeth removed to end up with 28 teeth in all. Despite advances in dental care, many adults in the United States lose teeth, especially as they get older. The average 20- to 64-year-old has about 25 (24.92) remaining teeth, according to the National Institutes of Health, and about 3.75 percent of Americans in that age group have no remaining teeth. Tooth loss can interfere with the way a person talks and eats, and it can also affect his or her confidence while smiling.
Tooth replacement generally involves removable dentures, a fixed dental bridge, or dental implants. Each has its benefits and drawbacks. Dentures are the least expensive but are inconvenient and have a tendency to shift and interfere with taste and sensory experience with food. Many people find dentures uncomfortable due to sore spots, poor ridges to support the dentures, and gagging.
Bridgework overcomes many of the problems posed by a denture, but involves significant dental work to prepare the nearby teeth to support the replacement tooth. Furthermore, bridges require that there be two healthy teeth on either side of the missing tooth to hold the replacement. Dental bridges can make it difficult to remove food debris from the gum line, and this can lead to gum disease.
About Dental Implants
Dental implants are often the preferred option for tooth replacement because of the way they look and feel like natural teeth. You do not have to have healthy teeth to serve as anchors for a dental bridge, and the dental implants will not slip and shift in your mouth as dentures do. Dental implants can replace a single tooth, several teeth, or all of your teeth. Best of all, dental implants are a permanent solution to a missing tooth.
A dental implant has three main parts:
Dental implant – a post implanted into the jawbone; sits entirely beneath the gum line
Abutment – connects the dental implant post to the crown
Crown – the part that looks like a tooth
Dental implant surgery is an outpatient procedure done in several steps, with periods of recovery between each step. The first step is an initial consultation, in which you discuss your goals with your dentist. Next, your dentist may need to remove damaged teeth. Bone grafting may be necessary to create enough bone in your jaw to support the implants. Your dentist will then place the dental implant into your jawbone.
After osseointegration, which may take several months for the implant to grow into your jawbone, your dentist will place the abutment. Once your gums heal, your dentist will make impressions of your mouth and remaining teeth, and then use these impressions to create your crown. You and your dentist will consult to find the perfect crown color, size and shape.
For more information on dental implants, contact our dentist in Reseda, CA. We have the tools and experience you need for all your tooth replacement needs.
