Whether you’re missing one tooth or several, dental implants can restore your mouth to a natural, healthy state. A dental implant mimics the tooth-root structure to maximize your ability to eat, chew, and speak with full confidence. At Ocean View Dental of Manhattan Beach, the office of Dr Jacob Elisha, we place and restore dental implants right in our office, so you can receive all of your dental care in our state-of-the-art facility. Please call our office to speak with us about arguably the best implant dentistry Manhattan Beach, CA has to offer. At Ocean View Dental of Manhattan Beach, we provide the highest quality dental implants, allowing you to speak, eat, and smile without hesitation. Unlike traditional dentures, dental implants actually replace tooth roots, fusing with your jaw bone to provide unparalleled support for both fixed and removable replacement teeth. This also helps to prevent the sunken look associated with dentures, which is caused by bone loss when the tooth roots are no longer present. Dental implants osseointegration into the jaw, effectively tricking the body into believing that the tooth roots are still there.
What are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is an artificial replacement for a missing tooth. While natural teeth consist of a crown and a root, implants comprise three elements:
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DENTAL IMPLANTS?
Our Manhattan Beach dental implants are often the ideal tooth-replacement option, because unlike traditional tooth-replacement solutions (such as bridges, dentures and partials) implants replace the missing tooth’s root as well as the crown. Dental implants do not require support from adjacent teeth, and they keep the jawbone strong because it has a purpose – to support the tooth’s root.
For this reason, dental implants have many benefits, including:
Dental implants have a success rate of 95 to 98%. With dental implants, patients don’t suffer increased sensitivity or tooth decay.
Am I a Good Candidate for Dental Implants
The conditions for successful treatment with implants are relatively few. To be considered a good candidate for one of the best dental implants Manhattan Beach, CA has to offer, you should:
Depending upon your own unique situation, some preparatory treatments such as bone grafts and sinus grafts may be needed so that you’re ready to receive the implants.
A few conditions may limit the suitability of dental implants for replacing your missing teeth, including the following:
You may still be a good candidate even if you have one or more of these conditions. We’ll assess your unique oral health needs to determine whether or not implants are right for you.
WHAT IS THE DENTAL IMPLANT PROCESS?
Dental implant surgery is a process which includes:
The full implant process may take anywhere from three to eight months or longer, depending on your situation and circumstances. Much of the process time is spent healing and waiting for bone growth (osseointegration). The process of osseointegration begins once the implant post is placed in your jawbone. During this time, the jawbone grows around and binds with the surface of the post. This process can take up to six months. Just like roots support your natural teeth, the process of osseointegration helps to provide a solid base for your artificial tooth.
PLACING THE IMPLANT
During your dental implant surgery, your expert periodontist will make an incision, opening your gum and exposing the bone beneath. Small holes are drilled into your jawbone where the implant posts will be placed. The implant is then placed deep into the bone, serving as an artificial equivalent of a natural tooth root.
You’ll be left with a gap in your teeth at this point. Usually, a partial temporary denture can be placed for the sake of aesthetics. This denture can be removed for cleaning each night while you sleep
PLACING THE ABUTMENT
Once the osseointegration process is complete, an additional surgery to place the abutment is the typical next step. The abutment is the piece upon which the crown will eventually be placed. To place the abutment:
The abutment is frequently attached to the dental implant when the post is placed. In these cases, you don’t need an extra step in the surgical process. However, since the abutment is exposed beyond the gumline, it’s visible every time you open your mouth. For this aesthetic reason, many patients prefer to attach the abutment in a later procedure.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT AFTER MY SURGERY?
No matter how many stages your dental implant process requires, there are some common discomforts associated with the surgery, including:
Contact Dr Jacob Elisha if discomfort or swelling gets worse in the immediate days following your surgery. Pain medications or antibiotics may be necessary. During certain stages of your implant process, you may need to eat soft foods for a week or two to help your recovery.