Dental implants are an excellent way to replace missing teeth. Whether you are replacing a single tooth or multiple teeth, dental implants help restore spaces in your mouth without drilling on adjacent teeth, thus conserving valuable tooth structure.

Dental implants are titanium screws in the form of a tooth root. They are placed in the jaw and given time to adhere to the bone. After the implant has integrated into the bone, the implant is ready to be loaded. Loading is when a restoration is put on the implant and incorporated into a patients bite or “occlusion”. A dental restoration is dental restorative material used to replace missing or damaged tooth structure. While loading is typically done after three to six months of healing, there are situations that allow us to load an implant immediately. In these cases, a temporary crown would be carefully placed over an implant immediately after it is placed in the jaw. It is important that the temporary crown does not receive heavy biting forces while the bone and implant are integrating.

Various restorations can be placed on implants. Crowns can be placed on a tooth implant to replace a single missing tooth. For multiple missing teeth, a bridge can attach to multiple implants. For those who have lost a majority or all of their teeth, dentures can be attached to implants. These are called implant overdentures. Implant overdentures are a wonderful solution for patients that are missing several teeth. Lower dentures without dental implants can be very uncomfortable. With nothing to attach to, lower dentures are often unstable. However, with dental implants, a denture can have a stable attachment and lead to a more comfortable fit and more attractive smile.

There are many diagnostic tools that dental implant clinics and dental offices use to accurately place dental implants. During an initial comprehensive exam, radiographs or x-rays are taken to evaluate a patient’s overall dental health. Diagnostic models of a person’s teeth are also helpful in determining space requirements for dental implants. When determining where to place a dental implant, a CT scan and a surgical stent can be helpful in determining where to place the implant. A CT scan shows a three-dimensional view of a patients jaw so that the implant is placed in the ideal position. A surgical guide stent can be constructed from the information obtained on a CT scan. The surgical guide stent helps the surgeon physically place the implant in the ideal location.

Implant recovery time can vary depending on how many implants are placed, if there is a need for grafting, and the type of implant surgery needed. With single tooth implants, recovery time is often minimal and allows for the patient to return to normal activities the day of or day after the procedure. Placement of dental implants is a simple outpatient procedure with minimal post-operative discomfort.

Dental implants have a high success rate when the proper pre-operative planning is used. Certain contributing factors such as smoking, periodontal disease, diabetes, and poor overall hygiene can lead to the failure of implants. Eliminating these factors or even controlling these factors can greatly increase the success of dental implants.

Dr. Carlos Alonso is in the Missouri City and Sugar Land area and has been restoring dental implants his entire career. Implant dentistry has come a long way in a short time and Dr. Alonso has made it a point to keep up with the latest advances and technology through continuing education. Tooth implants have become the preferred choice for restoring missing teeth in many cases. For more information on dental implants, please call Alonso Family Dental to set up an appointment for an examination.