Losing a tooth can be devastating. It can affect your ability to eat, your self-esteem, and your willingness to smile around others. But did you know that over time it can also cause bone loss, a sunken appearance to your mouth, and shifting and misalignment of your other teeth?
All of this can prevent with a surgical, dental implant. Yuma dentist Dr. Sam Carroll DMD is highly trained in placing beautiful, long-lasting dental implants.
What Are Implants?
Dental implants are a robust and permanent replacement for one or more missing teeth. Implants consist of two parts: a titanium implant that is placed in the jaw and bonds with the bone, and an abutment, which is a metal post that is securely attached to the implant and supports a crown, bridge, or attachment for removable dentures.
Implants are the recommended treatment for extracted or lost teeth. They are the closest dental science has gotten to replacing your natural teeth! Dental implants are reliable, sturdy, and long-lasting. With proper care, your dental implant can last a lifetime. A dental implant will allow you to eat, talk, and usually smile and will help keep other teeth from shifting. Implants also minimize bone loss of the jaw.
The Dental Implant Process
Dental implants are an excellent solution to restore missing teeth, but the process is a rather lengthy one, so you should prepare for this. During your initial visit, Dr. Carroll will evaluate your suitability for implants. Most people in relatively good health are a candidate for dental implants. If you have already suffered some bone loss at the site, a bone graft may be necessary before or during the implant process.
The next step is implant placement. Dr. Carroll has undergone extensive training to ensure that every step of the implant process can be completed safely and expertly in our Yuma dental office. The implant is surgically inserted into the jawbone, then covered with gum tissue and allowed to heal completely. This step is essential because it is when osseointegration, or the fusing of your bone to the implant, occurs.
Once the site has fully healed, and osseointegration has occurred, we will expose the implant and place the abutment. One or more impressions of your mouth will be taken during this process, to ensure that the crown, bridge, or dentures we attach to the implant are a perfect match, and look and feel natural. Finally, the top can connect to your healed implant, and your smile will restore!
Guided Dental Implant Surgery In Yuma, AZ
The combination of 3-D scan technology and imaging provides a multi-dimensional view of all the teeth, bones, nerves and sinus cavities. This complete picture eliminates the guesswork for dental implants leading to more accurate and safer positioning of dental implants and providing a patient with permanent teeth in about an hour.
A CBCT is short for Cone Beam Computed Tomography. It creates a scan of your face and provides Dr. Carroll with a 3D precise replica of your jaw bones and surrounding areas. The scan allows Dr. Carroll to plan your implant procedure using the virtual software. Our primary goal is to achieve an excellent clinical result with the highest predictability in the least invasive manner.
Benefits
- Lowest radiation possible
- The natural and short process taking less than 14 seconds of scan time
- Immediate virtual diagnosis and treatment planning in one visit
- Leads to safer and less surgical time
- Allows natural treatment coordination with other members of the dental team
- Fast diagnosis provides certainty in treatment, reducing follow-up examination
Benefits of Guided Implant Surgery:
- Simplifies the dental implant treatment process
- More accurate
- Eliminates guesswork
- Less surgery time
- Greater patient satisfaction
- Many times, it removes the need for incisions–less pain!
Ideal for Patients Who:
- Want a full set of permanent teeth instead of dentures
- Have one or more missing teeth they want to restore
- Want to replace removable bridges with permanent teeth
- Are missing one or more teeth due to injury, disease or tooth decay
- Are frustrated with loose or poor fitting full or partial dentures
- Need single tooth replacement, multiple or complete mouth reconstruction
- Are an excellent health candidate and have enough bone to support dental implants
Caring for a Dental Implant
Caring for your implants after they placed isn’t tricky, but it does require dedication to good oral health routines to ensure the implant succeeds and lasts as long as possible. Daily brushing and flossing are a must. Dr. Carroll may make additional suggestions for your home care routine, based on your circumstances.
As with any dental restoration, chewing on tough foods such as ice or jawbreakers, or non-food items such as pencils or pens, can cause the crown on your implant to chip or crack and should be avoided. Crowns can also become discolored, especially through frequent consumption of highly staining foods or drinks such as coffee or red wine.
Restore Your Smile With Dental Implants
If you are interested in surgical, dental implants or would like more information on the process and whether you are a good candidate, call our Yuma dental office and schedule a consultation today at 928-504-4531 or Schedule an Appointment
