Discover the Benefits of Dental Implants
Aside from making you feel self-conscious, missing teeth can make it difficult to eat and speak. If left untreated, they can also lead to a number of different oral health issues, including widespread tooth loss.
Dr. Vincent Ip works with trusted local doctors to replace missing teeth with implant-supported restorations. These lifelike restorations are held in place by dental implants and offer many benefits over, bridges and dentures. Dr. Ip can help you decide if dental implants are right for you during a consultation at SMILE 360™ in Austin, TX.
The Importance of Replacing Missing Teeth
Tooth loss can affect your ability to eat, speak, and smile with confidence. As a result, your nutrition, speech, and self-esteem can suffer. Missing teeth can also lead to misalignment, additional tooth loss, jawbone recession, and a host of other oral health issues. Therefore, replacing lost teeth is recommended whenever possible.
How Dental Implants Can Help
Dental implants are biocompatible titanium screws that are designed to replace missing tooth roots. They can anchor dental bridges, and dentures directly to your jawbone rather than to surrounding teeth, offering an unparalleled level of stability and durability.
Many dentists recommend replacing missing teeth with implant-supported restorations rather than conventional restorations because they help your jawbone stay healthy and strong. Because they act like tooth roots, dental implants deliver regenerative signals to your jawbone and halt the bone atrophy that would typically occur after tooth loss. Dental implant surgery is fairly simple, and over 5 million implants are placed by American doctors every year.
Benefits of Implant-Supported Restorations
Implant-supported restorations offer a number of benefits over conventional restorations, including:
- Natural appearance: In contrast to dentures, which can slip or slide when speaking, dental implants can help restorations remain in place and look more natural.
- Less alteration to surrounding teeth: While conventional dental bridges require that the surrounding teeth be resized, implant-supported restorations attach directly to the jawbone and help you preserve healthy tooth structures.
- Improved stability: Denture-wearers can enjoy improved stability with implant-supported restorations. Implants can allow you to eat and speak without worrying about dentures slipping or clicking.
Although the crown, bridge, or denture attached to the implant will eventually need to be replaced, implants themselves can last for many, many years. In some cases, they can even last a lifetime.
Dental implants can transform the look and feel of a smile affected by missing teeth.
The Treatment Process
Depending on whether you need any preparatory procedures, placing and restoring dental implants can take anywhere from several months to a full year. First, Dr. Ip will begin by seeing you in-office for a consultation. During this appointment, he will examine your smile and discuss your tooth replacement options with you. If you decide that dental implants will best suit your needs, Dr. Ip can refer you to a trusted oral surgeon to place them.
During the procedure, the surgeon will make a small incision in your gums. They will then place the dental implant directly in your jawbone and suture the gums back in place.
After surgery, it typically takes about four to six months for your implants to fuse with your jawbone. Once this process is complete, you will be ready to come back to Dr. Ip's office to receive your abutments and the final restoration.
Restore Your Smile Today
Dental implants can transform the look and feel of a smile affected by missing teeth. To find out if dental implants are a good option for you, call Smile 360 at (512) 444-4746 or request a consultation online.
