You don’t have to live your life with a gappy smile. Dental implants can offer you the chance to live as before. They are a permanent option for tooth loss that replaces the whole tooth, from root to crown.

Imagine chewing and speaking as before. All the negative emotions that come with missing teeth can drift away. No one will know you ever suffered from missing teeth. Implants can transform your smile, overall health, feel, and function.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are small titanium rods surgically inserted into the gums sockets left by tooth loss. These artificial roots are integrated with your body and provide a solid and robust base for replacement teeth.

Implant surgery is, by far, the best long-term solution for missing teeth. Dental implants have incredibly high success rates and are the new standard in tooth replacement because they fit and function like natural teeth.

Three parts make up an implant.

  • The implant: a titanium screw surgically inserted into the patient’s jaw bone where the original tooth was
  • The abutment: a small piece that connects the tooth and implants and ensures an excellent fit
  • Crown: part of the tooth that matches the rest of your teeth and is attached to the implant

During the implant’s placement, an incision is made into the gums for the new tooth root to be placed into the jawbone of the missing tooth’s location. Once implanted, the gum tissue is closed over the implant.

The jaw bone integrates with the titanium roots in a process called osseointegration. The bone grows around the post, making it part of you and a durable base to anchor your new tooth or teeth. Osseointegration can take two to six months. You may ask your dentist for a temporary crown to be attached until the restoration process is complete

Once the implants have completed osseointegration, an abutment attaches to the implant post. The new crown fits on the other end of the abutment.

Once secured, your brand-new teeth should instantly feel comfortable and completely natural. The implant process can replace a single tooth, multiple teeth, or complete upper and lower new teeth set.

What are the Benefits of Dental Implants?

The most obvious benefit of dental implants is greater enjoyment of life. Anyone with missing teeth sacrifices their confidence and the ability to smile, laugh and talk without covering their mouth in shame. But the benefits go beyond this:

  • Improved appearance: When there is tooth loss, there is also a loss of bone support to your facial structure. Without this support, your face can eventually change shape, making you appear older or gaunt. Implants provide the same support as your natural teeth.
  • Easier speaking: Removable dentures slip and slide in the mouth and impact speaking ability, causing embarrassing slurring and mumbling.
  • Easier eating: Implants are secured into your jaw, allowing you to bite with the same force as your natural teeth. You can again enjoy all the foods you love.
  • Easy care & convenience: Implants don’t require glues, cleaning tablets, or weird flossers. Just brush as usual!
  • Improved oral health: Implants aren’t natural teeth, and can’t get cavities. They don’t require attachment to other teeth, as a dental bridge does. The surrounding teeth are untouched, improving oral health all around.
  • Bone loss prevention: When teeth are missing, bone loss occurs in the jaw. Bones need constant stimulation from teeth. Dental Implants provide this stimulation.
  • Durability: Other options in tooth replacement need repairs from time to time or replaced periodically. Dental implants can last a lifetime if properly cared for.

Get Your Dental Implants in Palo Alto

Dr. Morshedi and the Palo Alto Dental Center team want to help you with your dental needs. We are happy to evaluate your oral hygiene and gum tissue and answer any questions about the implant dentistry treatment plan.

There are many factors your dentist needs to consider when determining whether or not you are a good candidate for treatment. Regardless of the type of implant, it is crucial to have healthy gums and no sign of periodontal disease. In some cases, a bone grafting procedure must be done before the implants.

Dental implants in Palo Alto are cost-effective and can last many years if cared for properly. Placing a dental implant is straightforward and a regular treatment at Palo Alto Dental Center.

If you are interested in learning more in a consultation about dental implants, please call our office at (650) 494-1122 or email us. We look forward to meeting you and assisting you with your oral health goals.