Dental Implants
Houston, TX
 Losing teeth is a serious issue that significantly impacts every aspect of your life. Basic functions like eating and speaking become incredibly difficult. Your smile suffers, and your confidence decreases. Tooth loss even affects the health of your jawbone, leading to bone loss in the jaw that causes the bone to weaken and change shape. The more teeth you lose, the worse the effects. Replacing your teeth is essential for restoring the functions of your missing teeth and your quality of life. At Alexandra Garcia, DDS, MS, we can replace your teeth with implant dentistry.
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are a treatment designed to replace missing teeth, providing you with an alternative to more traditional treatments. They are a more recent treatment that came about as a result of an accidental discovery. This revolutionary treatment uses small titanium posts, which are surgically placed in your jawbone, to provide support for your dental restorations. Once the posts have been placed, the bone gradually fuses with them in a natural process called osseointegration. This process essentially turns the posts into replacement tooth roots that provide secure support for your new teeth.
Types of Dental Implants
Dental implants are a versatile treatment. There are several different types that allow us to meet some different needs.
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Single tooth. A single tooth implant uses one post to support a single crown. You can have multiple single tooth implants, either in different locations or even right next to one another.
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Multiple teeth. A multiple tooth implant replaces two or more missing teeth in a row. The number of posts you need to support your teeth depend on how many teeth are missing and the health of your jaw.
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Full arch replacement. A full arch replacement, also called an overdenture or implant supported denture, replaces an entire arch of teeth. The typical full arch replacement uses six to eight posts for support.
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The All-on-4 Treatment Concept. If you are missing bone mass in your jaw and it cannot support the necessary implants for a full arch restoration, we may recommend the All-on-4 Treatment Concept. This treatment uses only four implants, strategically implanted in your jaw, to support your full arch of replacement teeth. |
The Placement of Dental Implants
Dental implants require a surgical procedure for placement. The procedure is done under local anesthetic. We can also provide sedation for patients feeling anxious or fearful. Surgery begins with small incisions in your gums, exposing the bone underneath. Next, holes are drilled into your jawbone according to your treatment plan. A surgical guide is used to help increase precise location, depth, and angle. The implant posts are immediately placed inside, and your gums are sutured closed. For immediate loading treatments, your dental implant restorations are screwed in place. Otherwise, temporary teeth are set in place while you heal.
Healing from implant surgery varies from several weeks to several months. During this time, we schedule several follow up visits to monitor your healing to ensure that you are healing properly and that your implants are integrating into your jaw. If you have been wearing temporary teeth, your final restorations are designed and created after you have healed completely.
Benefits of Implant Dentistry
Implant dentistry offers several incredible benefits.
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Looking, feeling, and working just like your real teeth.
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You can bite and normally chew again, which improves your digestion and nutrition.
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Your speech is restored without having to adjust to a new object in your mouth.
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Your smile, and your confidence improve.
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Your oral health improves.
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Your restoration is much more comfortable. The teeth are supported by your implant posts rather than your adjacent teeth or your gums.
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You can brush and floss your restorations just like your natural teeth.
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The posts stimulate your jawbone, which triggers the body to send essential nutrients to the bone again. This helps to stop and prevent bone loss in your jaw, helping you to maintain its health and shape. |
Dental Implants vs. Bridges and Dentures
Not only does tooth loss impact your smile, but it also affects surrounding teeth and gum health. Therefore, it is essential to replace missing teeth to keep the adjacent teeth aligned and prevent gum and bone degradation. Replacing your teeth through restorative dentistry procedures allow you to speak and chew properly, improving cosmetic appearance and quality of life. Dental bridges, dentures, and implants are the most common options for replacing lost, damaged, or broken teeth.
With dental implants, we cannot only restore the functions of your missing teeth but restore your beautiful smile and protect the health of your jawbone as well. For more information, and to find out if dental implants are right for you, call Alexandra Garcia, DDS, MS at (346) 250-2930 today. We offer a variety of tooth replacement options like mini dental implants, dental bridges and restorative services like dental crowns.
Additional Information:
Dental Implant Materials
Caring For Dental Implants
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