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Dental Implants

image of someone being showed a modal of teeth in order to learn about dental implants

If you are missing one or multiple teeth, a dental implant may be the long-term solution you need.

Made of extremely durable titanium, a dental implant acts as a substitute for the root of your natural teeth. In time, your jawbone fuses to the implant through a process called “osseointegration.”

This process results in a permanent bond between the implant and your jaw, making dental implants more successful than dentures for replacing teeth because they cannot slip or rock the way dentures can.

Dental implants also look more natural than dentures because everything except the crown of the replacement tooth remains below the gum line.

What You Should Know About Dental Implants

Patients who choose dental implants over dentures or bridges experience a much higher quality of life, because implants don’t come with the inconvenience and discomfort of those other options.

Dental professionals, including those here at Omaha & Council Bluffs Oral Surgery, recommend dental implants because they do not affect the health of neighboring teeth or lead to bone loss in the jaw the way dentures or bridges can.

Dental implants are a great option for replacing permanent teeth for almost anyone. If you need to replace a single tooth or multiple teeth, Omaha & Council Bluffs Oral Surgery has the solution you need. We’re confident that you’ll love your dental implants and enjoy them for the rest of your life, with proper care.

Benefits Of Dental Implants

Dental implants offer many advantages over traditional tooth replacement options such as dentures and bridges. One of the most significant benefits is their exceptional durability.

Unlike dentures or bridges, dental implants are designed to last a lifetime with proper care. They are crafted from titanium, a biocompatible material that integrates seamlessly with the jawbone, providing a strong and stable foundation for artificial teeth.

Beyond their longevity, dental implants excel in restoring function. They function much like natural teeth, allowing patients to bite, chew, and speak with confidence.

Unlike dentures, which can slip or become dislodged, dental implants are firmly anchored in the jawbone, providing a secure and comfortable fit. This enhanced functionality significantly improves a patient’s quality of life.

Aesthetically, dental implants are unmatched. They are designed to blend seamlessly with your natural teeth, creating a beautiful and natural-looking smile. Additionally, dental implants help to preserve facial structure by stimulating bone growth, preventing the sagging and sunken appearance often associated with tooth loss. Another key advantage of dental implants is their positive impact on oral health. Unlike bridges, which require the alteration of adjacent teeth, dental implants preserve healthy tooth structure. This helps to maintain overall oral health and reduces the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Furthermore, dental implants prevent bone loss, a common consequence of tooth extraction.

Dental Implant Options for You

When a single tooth is missing, a dental implant can be a fantastic choice. A titanium post is surgically implanted into the jawbone, and once healed, a custom-made crown is attached. This option offers a discreet and long-lasting replacement for your missing tooth.

For individuals with extensive tooth loss, full-arch restoration offers a comprehensive solution. This treatment involves placing multiple dental implants to support a full row of replacement teeth. There are several approaches to full-arch restoration, including:

Single Implant

A single-tooth implant is a remarkable solution when one of your natural teeth is missing or has become compromised. This innovative procedure involves surgically placing a titanium post into the jawbone to serve as an artificial tooth root. Once the implant has fully integrated with the bone (a process called osseointegration), a custom-made crown is attached to create a natural-looking and functional replacement tooth.

Mini dental implants are a smaller, more slender version of traditional dental implants. They’re often used to anchor dentures or bridgework, providing a more stable and comfortable alternative to traditional dentures or adhesives.

Key differences between mini and traditional dental implants:

Immediate load dental implants, or same day dental implants, are a type of dental implant that are placed and loaded with a temporary crown or bridge immediately after the implant surgery. This means that you can leave our office with a fully restored tooth or teeth on the same day.

Key features of immediate load dental implants:

Implant Bridges

Implant bridges offer a significant advantage over traditional bridges by preserving the health of your natural teeth. Unlike traditional bridges, which rely on the adjacent teeth for support, implant bridges are anchored to dental implants surgically placed into the jawbone.

By eliminating the need to grind down healthy teeth, implant bridges help maintain their structure and longevity.

Implant Overdenture

If you’re dealing with the challenges of traditional dentures, implant overdentures can offer a significant improvement. A small number of implants are placed in your jawbone to support a denture that snaps onto the implants. This design provides enhanced stability, comfort, and confidence compared to conventional dentures.

Hybrid Implant Dentures

Hybrid implant dentures offer a unique combination of stability and functionality.

Unlike traditional dentures that can slip or shift, hybrid dentures are firmly anchored to dental implants, providing a secure and comfortable fit. Once securely attached to dental implants, hybrid dentures cannot be removed by the wearer. This eliminates the discomfort and inconvenience associated with loose-fitting dentures.

What To Expect

During the initial consultation, your oral surgeon will take a 3-D scan of your mouth. Next, a treatment plan for the dental implant procedure will be created. If it is determined that your jawbone is strong enough, the consultation, extraction of the existing tooth and implant can be done in a single visit.

After two to four weeks of the procedure, your oral surgeon will check on the implant to ensure it’s healing correctly.

Three to six months after the procedure, we’ll take a new scan of your mouth. This scan will be used to create the custom crown(s) that will fit perfectly into your mouth and take the place of the extracted tooth or teeth.

Within a month or so after the second oral scan, the crown(s) should be ready. Your regular dentist will place the crown onto your dental implant.

Once your new crown is set, your dental implant procedure is complete. You’ll be free to enjoy all the benefits of your new implant.

We’re Here to Help

Whether you need to replace one tooth to several or all your teeth, we have a dental implant solution for you. We are confident you will love your dental implant and with proper care, they will last you a lifetime.

If you have questions about dental implants or would like to schedule a consultation, you can contact our Omaha offices at 402-934-8999 or our Council Bluffs office at 712-309-0480.

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