Implants Provider

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are essentially roots for artificial teeth. They’re metal posts, similar to screws, which fit securely into your jawbone, filling the socket of a missing tooth. Implants support replacement teeth, or crowns. 

Implants blend seamlessly into your mouth. A replacement tooth supported by an implant looks and works just like your natural teeth. With proper care, implants can last the rest of your life.

Implants are a breakthrough in restorative dentistry. Before implants, your options for replacing missing teeth were limited to dentures and bridges. These appliances restore some of the function of missing teeth, but they don’t look as natural as implants, can interfere with speaking and chewing food, and require replacement every few years.

Another advantage of implants over dentures or bridges is that they don’t require modifying your existing teeth. Other, older forms of prosthetic teeth may require filing down your surrounding teeth or using your teeth as support. Implants, by comparison, simply fit into the space left by a missing tooth.

Am I a good candidate for dental implants?

Implants are an excellent choice for adults in good dental and overall health who have one or more missing teeth. If you’re healthy enough for a minor oral surgery, such as a tooth extraction, you can safely get implants.

It’s easiest for Dr. Ku to install implants if you have healthy gums and strong jawbone to support them. However, thanks to advances in dental technology, you can still enjoy the benefits of dental implants even if you’ve had a history of gum disease or bone loss in your jaw. Dr. Ku may recommend all-on-four implants, which can restore an entire set of top or bottom teeth using just four implants.

If you’re unsure about whether you need implants, consider that just one missing tooth can have significant consequences. Your other teeth can shift out of place, affecting your facial appearance, and you may experience problems with speech and chewing. Dental implants can prevent these complications.

What is the process for receiving a dental implant?

Dental implants require a few office visits. After a thorough evaluation, Dr. Ku installs the implant in the location of your missing tooth.

You then need to wait for your gums and bone to heal around the implant, and for your implant to become part of your jawbone. This process can take up to several months. Dr. Ku will then install an abutment, a metal post that directly supports your artificial tooth.

Then Dr. Ku follows this by taking impressions of your teeth. A lab uses the impressions to construct your replacement tooth, or crown, which fits perfectly into your mouth. At your final appointment, Dr. Ku attaches your crown to the abutment, and you can enjoy your newly functional smile.

To learn more about dental implants, schedule an appointment at Plano Dental Excellence online or over the phone.