Amid the stress of tooth loss, the well-being of the site(s) where those teeth used to be is a crucial consideration. Neglecting them comes with several risks, from increased infection risk to jawbone density loss to shifting and overcrowding of remaining teeth.
Among tooth replacement solutions, dental implants are best at addressing all such concerns.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are small titanium pegs placed in empty sockets in the jaw as replacements for natural tooth roots. Implants are placed in vacant “sockets” in the jawbone, where they fuse with the bone via osseointegration. Once firmly in place, they create solid, durable anchoring points for dental restorations like bridges or porcelain crowns.
What differentiates dental implants is that they tackle tooth loss above and below the gumline. Replacing the natural root helps preserve jawbone strength, bite integrity, and natural facial structure.
The Dental Implant Process, Step by Step
How exactly are dental implants placed? Glad you asked! Here’s a detailed breakdown of the implant process:
- Consultation — An evaluation of a patient’s damaged teeth, jawbone, and overall oral health by a qualified implant specialist using x-rays and digital scans.
- Treatment planning — A customized treatment plan is created based on the extent of a patient’s tooth loss, overall oral health, and the potential need for additional procedures like dental extractions or bone grafting.
- Tooth extraction (if necessary) — If parts of damaged teeth remain in the socket, they must be extracted before implant placement can be scheduled.
- Bone grafting (if necessary) — If a patient’s jawbone lacks the density to support an implant, bone material may be grafted to the natural bone for added strength.
- Placement — The implant placement procedure requires an incision into the gum tissue. Once the underlying jawbone is exposed, a tiny hole is drilled into which the implant is placed.
- Osseointegration — In the months after an implant is in place, it fuses permanently with the jawbone via osseointegration, creating a strong and stable artificial root.
- Restoration — Once the gum tissue has adequately healed, new impressions are taken, from which a long-term dental restoration, often a dental crown, is custom-made.
Precisely and Painlessly Placing Dental Implants in Monroe, WA
If you live in the Monroe area and want to learn more about the dental implant process and any other procedures that may be necessary to ensure proper placement, contact Dr. Yunki Cho and the excellent Sky Valley Dental team to schedule a consultation!