Dental Implants

Dental Implants

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are substitutes for the roots of missing teeth. They act as an anchor for a replacement tooth or crown or a set of replacement teeth.

Am I a candidate for implants?

Implant patients are of all ages and implants may be the right choice for anyone missing one or more teeth due to injury, disease or decay. They are especially practical for patients who can no longer wear removable dentures. Your dentist can determine if you are a candidate for dental implants after a careful evaluation of your dental and medical history.

Are there different kinds of implants?

There are many shapes, sizes and brands of implants available. Dr. Brad will evaluate your case and decide which implant is the right one for you.

Do I have enough bone?

It is important for a patient to have enough bone to support the implant. If you do not have enough bone, there are many safe and effective ways to correct bone deficiency. Your dentist will assess this and advise you if additional bone material is needed.

Will this take a long time?

Treatment time can vary greatly depending on your needs. Each situation needs a separate evaluation after which we will be able to give you an approximate timetable.

Whom should I consult for my implant treatment?

Your general dentist is your first resource for this service. Dr. Brad places implants in our office. More complex cases are referred to a specialist in the same manner as difficult tooth extractions or root canals may be referred.

Dental Implants for Tooth Replacement

Your teeth were designed to last a lifetime, but sometimes they don't! Replacing missing teeth is important to your general health and to the health of your other teeth. Not only do you lose chewing ability when a tooth is lost, but unreplaced teeth can cause other teeth to be lost, tipped or crowded and create subsequent problems. Also, there are the obvious problems of poor appearance and loss of self-esteem caused by one or more missing teeth.

Dental implants should always be considered as an option to replace a failing or missing tooth. Replacement of lost teeth with dental implants has been used for treating missing teeth for more than 50 years and is recognized as an effective treatment choice. Treatment is considered more predictable than bridgework, resin bonded bridges and endodontic treatment.

Click here to view the brochure for the implants we place here in our office.

Here is a great information sheet from the Academy of General Dentistry.