If you’ve ever witnessed a friend or family member lose teeth, you know how devastating it can be. Not only did they take a hit to their self-confidence but their overall health as well. Now that you’re facing the same dental problem, you know you must find a comprehensive tooth replacement. Here at Combs and White Family Dentistry, our team wants to help you restore your smile. Although there are several reconstruction options, our dentists will almost always recommend dental implants in Pea Ridge first. Dental implants have many advantages compared to other restorations, but what you probably really want to know is what can you expect during the procedure.
Dental Implants: What to Expect
1. Assessment and Preparation of Your Jawbone
The first step to getting dental implants is concluding if you’re dental problem will truly be solved with dental implants or not during your first dental appointment. Your dentist will mostly base this decision off the health of your jawbone. You jawbone needs to be able to hold onto, adjust, and stabilize the dental implant posts.
If your jawbone holds adequate strength, then you’ll move right along to step two. If your jaw bone isn’t strong enough, you may need a bone grafting procedure to recreate healthy jawbone density.
2. Placing the Implant Posts.
During this step, either Dr. Combs or Dr. White will strategically place your dental implant posts within your jawbone. This sounds painful, but with the help of a local anesthetic and pain medications, this step will be practically painless! These biocompatible implant posts will fuse to your jawbone naturally with a process called osseointergration over the course of 3 to 6 months.
3. Choosing Your Dental Prosthetic.
Once your implant post has completely healed and abutment placed, your dentist will discuss the type of tooth replacement options you have. This is the most exciting part for most patients because they will finally be able to see the anticipated results! You and either of our dentists will discuss rather a removable dental prosthetics is best for you or a fixed implant restoration.
Dental Implants Are the Best Choice
If you’ve been looking for tooth replacement options, many resources may have pointed you to traditional replacements like dentures, crowns, or dental bridges. Although these replacements are effective in their own way, they only replace the visible portion of your tooth.
What about the other important half of your tooth—the root? Your tooth root keeps your jawbone stimulated and strong. Without one, patients experience bone deterioration over time. This can lead to an increased risk of infections, tooth loss, and a general decline in overall oral health. Thankfully, dental implants mimic the entire structure of a tooth. By replacing your teeth from root to crown, dental crowns encouraging the growth of new bone tissue and rejuvenate your smile.
Visit Our Office to Get Started
Even patients that have experienced severe tooth loss can enjoy a—or several—dental implants! Contact our Pea Ridge office today to schedule a consultation with either of our dentists. We would love to help you restore your healthy smile.