The start-to-finish convenience of one location, the confidence of Dr. Harding.
One of the great general and cosmetic dentistry options is dental implants. Implants create the look and feel of natural teeth and more importantly they help maintain the bone in your jaw. Our jawbones require stimulation provided by the chewing we do daily to retain their shape and dentistry. If you have lost multiple teeth and don't replace them with implants, it can affect your ability to chew and speak. Additionally, missing teeth cause our jawbones to recede giving the lower third of your face the sunken in look that makes it appear our face is caving in and older than it really is.
The solution to this problem is dental implants. The implants fuse with the jawbone to keep it strong and slow or stop the receding process. When the implant is capped with a porcelain crown it can last up to a lifetime of use.
Dr. Harding is trained and skilled in all parts of the dental implant process from start-to-finish. His advanced training allows him to extract your failing tooth, surgically place the implant, craft the porcelain crown and create an overall cosmetically beautiful result that will make you want to show off your new smile.
The steps involved in successful dental implants:
- Through an initial exam, our team will review your medical and dental histories, take X-rays and create impressions of your teeth and gums so that models can be made. We will also do a CT scan of your mouth so we can see assess the quality and quantity of bone beneath the gum line ideal implant position.
- Depending on the number of teeth we are replacing, the digital x-ray diagnosis, the results we are trying to achieve, and your budget, we develop an implant treatment plan. Each case is highly individualized.
- As needed, any tooth structure that cannot be saved is removed.
- Next, the dental implants are placed using local anesthetic. Depending on the location in the mouth, you may receive a temporary crown(s) while the implant area heals. During this time period your implant fuses solidly with the bone.
- Once the implant area is fully healed, we create a permanent restoration, such as a porcelain crown on top of the implant. We can place multiple restorations on a single implant.
Time Frame to Complete Dental Implants
The time frame to complete the implant depends on many factors. The process can last up several months or up to a year or more, especially if you need bone grafting or other preliminary procedures.
Maintenance of Dental Implants
Like all dental work, dental implants need to be maintained through professional cleanings, regular exams and daily brushing and flossing.