A missing tooth is more than just an inconvenient gap in your smile. It weakens your ability to chew, and allows the neighboring teeth to drift into the vacant space.
Over time, the bone structure in your jaw can break down, inviting TMD. This is why our Lynnwood dentist offers quality dental implants to our patients.
Process of a Dental Implant
Installing a dental implant is a three-step process. It begins by drilling the implant into the jaw bone so that it is flush with the bone but concealed beneath the gums. You then need to allow time for the bone to heal over the implant. Eventually your implant will fuse with the bone, giving you the strength and durability you are used to with your natural teeth. After a period, your dentist will attach a post called an abutment to the top of the implant. Finally, the abutment is capped with a crown, prosthetic tooth that can be custom-designed to simulate the appearance of your natural teeth.
In some cases, when the bone supporting the tooth has been degraded from long-term resorption or advanced periodontal disease, it may be necessary to augment the bone before it can support an implant. This is accomplished via a graft of synthetic or natural bone transplants. It is a routine and predictable procedure that should not result in any pain to the patient.
Once the implant is installed, you may never have to worry about it again. You can chew all of your favorite foods, brush, and floss as normal. Should the prosthetic tooth become damaged, it can be repaired or replaced without having to remove the implant itself. For many patients, this is a permanent solution that lasts for the rest of their lives. Contact Song Dental to learn if a dental implant is right for you.
Contact Song Dental to learn if a dental implant is right for you.
