Do you have tooth loss or need a tooth extraction? Wesley Dental offers affordable dental implants in Greenville, TX, to replace missing teeth. Tooth implants are an excellent restorative dentistry treatment that can restore one or more missing teeth. With this tooth replacement solution, we can restore the appearance and function of your smile.
Why Should You Replace Missing Teeth?
When you lose one or more permanent teeth, it impacts the look of your smile and also leads to further dental health issues. You should replace them if you ever face tooth loss or require extractions.
Any number of missing teeth makes it difficult to chew food and speak properly. This will make it hard to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, and communicate effectively.
Secondly, gaps anywhere along the arch will cause the remaining teeth to shift into the open space. This creates misalignment and bite problems, which can lead to further oral health issues.
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a sophisticated method dental professionals use to replace missing teeth. This tooth replacement solution consists of three parts: the implant fixture, the abutment, and the dental restoration.
Implant Fixture
A dental implant is a substitute for a missing tooth root. This small, cylinder-shaped post is titanium, which is a high-quality metal that is strong yet lightweight. The dentist surgically places the implant fixture in the jaw, where it will fuse to the bone.
Implants come in various sizes to accommodate different locations along the upper and lower arches. The three basic sizes of implants are:
- Standard: A standard-sized dental implant typically has a diameter of 3.5mm to 4.2mm.
- Wide Platform: A wide platform dental implant has a diameter of about 4.5mm to 6mm.
- Mini: A mini dental implant has a diameter of about 1.8 mm to 3.3 mm.
Abutment
The abutment is a small metal piece we attach to the implant fixture. It requires a minor procedure to open the gums to uncover the implants. Then, our dentist places the abutment.
Sometimes, we immediately place a healing abutment on the implant, and this second minor procedure is unnecessary. Then, we replace the healing abutment with the permanent one.
Dental Restoration
The dental restoration is the piece that will replace your missing teeth. You may get a dental crown, bridge, or denture depending on how many teeth you are missing and where they used to sit.
A dental crown can replace a single tooth, while dental bridges and dentures replace multiple missing teeth. We take impressions to create custom dental restorations that fit perfectly in the patient’s mouth.
Dental Implants are The Best Option for Missing Teeth
Dental implants are a popular and effective solution for replacing missing teeth. The initial cost of dental implants may seem high, but the long-term benefits far outweigh the investment. The long-term benefits of dental implants include:
- Jaw bone support
- A stable bite
- Natural look
- Better quality of life
Dental implants are the only tooth replacement option to prevent bone loss in the jaw. Since the implant fixtures are in the jaw bone, they will prevent the bone structure from weakening and deteriorating.
Bone loss in the jaw is an inevitable side effect of tooth replacement options such as dentures and dental bridges. It can alter your facial appearance, causing a sunken look and premature aging.
Additionally, dental implants offer more durability and stability. Implants will secure a dental restoration firmly in place to restore bite function
This alone will help enhance a patient’s confidence and self-esteem because they are the next best thing to natural teeth. Patients who replace their teeth with an implant-secured restoration report a higher quality of life.
How to Qualify for Dental Implants
You must undergo a thorough dental examination to determine if you qualify for dental implants. A good candidate for dental implants should have healthy bone density in the jaw to support the implant post.
Healthy gums are also essential because gum disease can affect the success of dental implants. Patients should also be in good overall health. This includes conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, which can affect the healing process.
Most oral surgeons prefer to work with non-smokers. Smoking also affects the healing process and increases the risk of implant failure.
If you suffer from severe decay or an infection, you may need a dental extraction. We offer simple, quick, and painless tooth extractions. Our office completes tooth extraction before the implantation procedure.
We can also offer bone grafting options to our patients. Bone grafting is for patients with missing teeth and bone loss in their jaws who want to qualify for dental implants.
This procedure will help restore a patient’s jaw to its natural shape and state. Once healing is complete, there should be enough bone to support the dental implants.
The Dental Implant Process in Greenville, TX
We schedule implant surgery once we ensure patients have good oral health and enough jaw bone to support one or more dental implants. To begin the implant process, we place the implant underneath the gums in the jaw bone.
The implant can heal over three to six months as the implant post fuses with the jaw bone. This is the osseointegration process. We will keep track of your progress as you heal and determine when we can make the next step. Once you heal, we place the abutment, which connects the implant post to the restoration.
Then, we begin to fabricate the dental restoration. We work with local dental labs to create custom, tooth-colored restorations. When your gums fully heal, we will place your final implant restoration.
It may take time to adjust to your new teeth. However, we will be there to help you every step of the way.
Dental implants provide easy maintenance. You can brush and floss your implants like natural teeth. We can recommend water flossers or threaded floss to make cleaning easier, depending on your restoration.
Get Dental Implants in Greenville, TX
Wesley Dental offers dental implant and oral surgery options to various communities in the Texas area. We serve Greenville, White Rock, Neylandville, Commerce, Campbell, Cumby, Miller Grove, Lone Oak Point, East Tawakoni, and West Tawakoni. We also serve Hawk Cove, Quinlan, Cash, Hendrix, Caddo Mills, Clinton, Floyd, Josephine, Farmersville, Merit, Arnold, and Celeste.
Call Wesley Dental when you are ready to replace your lost teeth using dental implants at 903-270-5279. You may also schedule an appointment with us online.