What are dental implants?
Dental implants are root-form replacements that are placed inside your jawbone. As the area heals, the bone grows onto the surface of the implant and helps stabilize it. As a result, we're able to place crowns or other teeth that are fixed to these implants.
We can use dental implants to replace one missing tooth, multiple teeth, or all of your teeth. The implant basically serves as the root of your replacement tooth. It goes inside your jawbone, and after it integrates with the bone, we can place a crown or another restoration on the implant.
Who is a good candidate for dental implants?
Number one, ideally you need to be in good overall health. You also need to have the right amount of bone to place an implant. If you have these factors in place, then we may be able to place implants.
If you don't have the right amount of bone in your mouth, we can sometimes do bone grafting procedures that allow us to rebuild the bone and potentially place the implants afterward. Even for people who have systemic health conditions, dental implants may still be an option as long as those conditions are appropriately managed with your physician and there is no contraindication to proceeding with surgery. We evaluate all of these factors to determine if dental implants are appropriate for you.
What is the process for getting a dental implant?
Traditionally, what we do at Ravon Dental is place the implant and let it heal for a period of about three months. Then, once the implant has healed appropriately, you can get the crown on the implant. If you come to me with a missing tooth and you have the right amount of bone, you're generally looking at about four months of treatment.
If you need to have a tooth taken out and you want to replace the tooth with an implant, it can be a different process. If it's a front tooth, in some cases we can do what we call an immediate implant, where we take the tooth out and place the implant at the same time. If the situation permits, we may also place a temporary tooth that's retained by the implant at the time of extraction and implant placement. The benefit for you is that this can reduce the waiting period before you receive your final crown.
Sometimes we need to first take the tooth out and preserve the bone. To do that, we take the tooth out and do a bone graft at the time of extraction because we want to maximize the amount of bone that you have. That healing period is generally about three to four months, and then we're able to evaluate the area for implant placement. Once the implant is placed, we typically wait another two to three months before moving forward with the crown. In that situation, where we have to take the tooth out and graft the area first, the entire process can take around six months or longer depending on healing.
How long do dental implants last?
Dental implants have a high success rate and can be a long-lasting way to replace missing teeth. How long an implant lasts depends on multiple factors, including your overall health, oral hygiene, the condition of the surrounding bone and gums, and regular professional care.
If you have good home care, come back and see us on a regular basis, maintain good oral hygiene, and have the implant monitored as recommended, that can help reduce the risk of complications and support the long-term health of your dental implant. Many implants can function successfully for many years, but no implant can be guaranteed to last for the rest of your life.
If you're searching for quality dental care, we're here to help. Call (310) 275-5325 or email [email protected] to schedule your visit. Our team is committed to keeping your smile healthy.