Are you missing a tooth? Do you wish for a natural-looking tooth restoration that will function similarly to your natural teeth? If so, dental implants may be the perfect option for you. Dental implants are the premier option for tooth replacement, going above and beyond cosmetically replacing a missing tooth.
Instead, a dental implant replaces a missing tooth’s look, feel, and functionality. While the procedure is longer than when placing a dental bridge, patients often find that dental implants have the lifelong benefits they are hoping for out of tooth restoration. Learn more about dental implants below.
Dental Implants in Gaithersburg, MD
Dr. Steven Anolik and Dr. Corey Anolik are experienced restorative dentists in Gaithersburg, MD. They stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest dental technologies to ensure that TotallySmiles is prepared to offer you the best dental treatments possible. Dental implants are one of the best upgrades to modern dentistry.
Going beyond dental bridge capability, a dental implant replaces your entire tooth, including the tooth roots. While the healing process for dental implants is longer than that required for dental bridges, dental implants maintain a very high patient satisfaction rating because of their long-term benefits.
What To Expect
The dental implant process requires a surgical procedure in which a titanium post is inserted beneath your soft tissues. This post will heal over six months, fusing with your jawbone to provide the restored tooth with tooth-root functionality.
For patients interested in a dental implant procedure, our doctors will use digital impressions of your smile to collect all the data necessary to help plan your restorative case. This includes utilizing digital X-rays, 3D mapping, models, and photographs. With this information, our doctors will refer you to one of our highly regarded specialists to provide you with the oral surgery needed to get started. We act as the quarterback of your restorative dentistry plan, ensuring that your final product is exactly what you want.
Once the surgical site is healed, an abutment will be placed over the post. This abutment will be what connects the post to the dental crown. A short additional healing time is required after the abutment is placed. Then, a dental crown is secured on top, and your dental implant is complete.
With dental implants, you can enjoy a lifetime of health and beauty from your restored tooth. As long as you continue to practice good at-home oral hygiene routines and visit your dentist every six months for preventative care, the dental implant should look, feel, and function just as your normal tooth would.
The Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants are the gold standard of tooth replacement solutions. We recommend them to patients with missing teeth whenever possible. They have many benefits that other tooth restoration options don’t.
Stability and Jawbone Retention
Implants are the only restoration that replaces the tooth root in addition to the crown. One of the most noticeable side effects of missing teeth is that the jawbone deteriorates in the area where the tooth root is gone. Since implants replace it, they stop the jawbone from deteriorating further and spur regeneration. The implant post osseointegrates with the jawbone, giving implants unmatched stability.
Dental implants are considered a lifetime solution for missing teeth. Unlike other treatments, you don’t have to worry about adjusting or replacing them in the future, besides possibly a new dental crown. Since they stop jawbone degeneration, the fit of your implants won’t change.
With solutions like removable dentures, you must eliminate certain foods from your diet because you can’t chew and break them down. Implants are the closest you can get to having full natural tooth function. You get back up to 100% of your bite function. You don’t have to give up any foods you love because you can bite and chew almost anything.
Low Maintenance and Comfortable
Implants don’t require any damage to natural teeth or excessive maintenance. When caring for them, you just have to brush and floss like normal teeth. If you have a fixed bridge as your final restoration, we may need to teach you techniques for flossing under the bridge. There are no adhesives or special cleaners you need to use.
Since they feel like natural teeth, they’re the most comfortable tooth replacement option. Removable dentures can slip or fall out when you’re eating or speaking. That’s something you never have to worry about with implants. You can have more self-confidence because you can trust your smile and how it looks and functions. Being comfortable in public helps your personal and working relationships.
Schedule An Appointment
Want to learn more about dental implants? TotallySmiles is happy to provide a consultation to determine if this treatment option suits you. Schedule an appointment online today to restore your smile’s health and beauty. We look forward to seeing you soon.