At Edge Dental, we are abundantly aware of the plethora of options for repairing a missing tooth. There are implants, bridges, dentures, and even more subcategories. This gives you such a wide variety of options that it can be overwhelming. This is where we come in, offering you the benefits of each option and helping you to pick the best one for your independent case. Our experience and expertise can help you find a fit that you will be satisfied with for a long time. Often, the preferred choice is a dental implant.
What is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant is a small titanium post that we can install into your lower or upper jaw in place of a tooth that has been extracted or is missing for any number of other reasons. This is a permanent solution and offers many benefits, from maintaining proper bone densities to maintaining the cosmetic integrity of your smile. It is even stronger than a natural tooth and acts in much the same way that a natural root does.
How Do I Get One?
Getting a dental implant can be a tricky procedure, depending on your individual circumstances, but we are more than happy to help you along the way. First off, it is important to know that not everyone is a candidate for dental implants. We can help you to determine if you are or not a candidate for dental implants. If you are a candidate for dental implants, we then have to examine the density of your bone. If you have diminished or thinning bones in either jaw due to anything from bone loss from gum disease, an extended period without a tooth, or even genetics or medication, you may be required to undergo a bone grafting procedure to continue.
This involves reinforcing and regrowing the bone in the problem area so that it is strong enough to support the implant. We take from a donor site (this can be from your body, a human or bovine cadaver, or a synthetic substance) and graft it onto your jaw bone. This adds a little bit of time to the procedure overall. Once you are ready for the implant, you will be administered an anesthetic. Then, we will make an incision in the top of your gums so that we can access your jaw bone beneath. Then, we can screw the post into your jaw. Once this heals, the post will be fused with your jaw entirely, essentially making it a part of you. Then, when you are all healed up and ready to go, we can place a crown, bridge, or denture over the implant, offering you a permanent and long lasting solution.
Edge Dental can help you through every step. We want nothing more than for you to be happy and confident once more, and this can help you with just that. An implant restores full ability to eat, drink, and speak normally and ends with a very normal appearance. Give us a call today to see how an implant can help you feel like yourself again.