When you have lost one or more teeth due to dental disease or trauma, a dental implant may be an excellent replacement option. Some of the common reasons that patients opt for implants over dentures or other tooth replacement options include:
· Dissatisfaction with the restrictions imposed by full or partial dentures and/or their appearance
Dental implants can replace a single missing tooth, several consecutive missing teeth, or the entire upper and lower jaws of teeth. The titanium in dental implants is a strong and lightweight material than can last for the rest of your life with the proper care.
The popularity of this permanent form of tooth replacement has grown significantly over the past several years as patients come to appreciate the many benefits. Some of these include:
· While the upfront cost may be higher, you save more over your lifetime due to not needing repair or replacement as often as you would with dental implants.
At Hanson Dental, we will provide you with a treatment time estimate before placing your implants. This can vary considerably between patients. The first step involves Dr. Hanson or Dr. Hahn locating the implant site via X-ray. We then surgically install the titanium rods that serve as your new tooth roots. You will need to follow a soft food diet as you heal and possibly take non-prescription pain relievers as well. After placement of the rods, called abutments, you may need to wait up to several months for your jaw to completely heal. It may be possible to receive temporary replacement teeth while you wait.
After ensuring that you have completed the healing process, Dr. Hanson or Dr. Hahn attaches the replacement tooth or teeth to the abutments. If you still have some or most of your natural teeth, we take care to match the shade of the replacement teeth to your natural teeth as closely as possible.