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Dental Implants | Steinbicker Family Dentistry • Mebane
Our Mebane dentists at Steinbicker Family Dentistry restore dental implants. We place an abutment on an implant. Afterward, a dentist cements the dental crown on the prosthesis.
What is a dental implant?
A dental implant is a titanium prosthesis that integrates with the bone. Dentists place the implant in the bone of the mouth. The bone is either the maxilla (i.e., the top bone in the mouth) or the mandible (i.e., the bottom bone in the mouth). These prostheses replace missing teeth. Some of the more popular brands of implants we restore include Straumann and Nobel Biocare.
What causes missing teeth?
Why would someone need to replace a missing tooth? A patient might need to replace a missing tooth for the following reasons:
- Trauma that leads to tooth loss (i.e., having a tooth knocked out of your mouth)
- A failed root canal (i.e., a root canal that fails but needs retreatment)
- A tooth that needs an extraction due to tooth decay (i.e., a dentist cannot restore the tooth because there is so much decay)
- Congenitally missing teeth (i.e., missing teeth since birth)
- Tooth fracture (i.e., splitting a tooth making the tooth non-restorable
How do dentists place dental implants?
An implant consists of titanium. A template is often made to determine where to locate the implant in the mouth. The dentist uses the model on the day of the procedure. Once the dentist places the implant, must heal for 6-8 months. This process of healing is called osseointegration.
A healing abutment screws onto the implant during the healing process. Once the area improves, an impression is taken using VPS (i.e., vinylpolysiloxane). A dental crown and abutment are made to screw onto the implant. We check to make sure the implant site healed at three-month intervals.
Sometimes, dentists use orthodontics (i.e. Invisalign) to make space for a dental implant.
In conclusion
In conclusion, dental implants are an excellent solution to restore a missing tooth. They have a very high success rate. The implant osseointegrates with the surrounding bone, preventing the implant from failing. Patients with periodontal disease might need a bone graft before a dentist places an implant.
Patients that smoke or have diabetes are at a higher risk of dental implant failure. If you have a missing tooth, consider a dental implant to replace it. The implant feels and looks like a natural tooth. Patients should clean their implants just like their other teeth, with an electric toothbrush. Dentists recommend preventive treatment to increase implant success. Options other than implants include dentures or bridges. Medicaid typically does not cover dental implants. Make an appointment today for a complete exam and treatment plan.