When you have a missing tooth, or even if you have several, we could address these gaps with dental implants. But how do we prepare your smile for this, and what should you expect from your new smile? In today’s blog, your Woodland Hills, CA, dentist talks about preparing smiles for the placement of dental implants.
Digital Impressions and More
First, we need to understand the extent of your tooth loss, the strength of your remaining teeth, and the status of your jawbone. After all, once we lose teeth the body responds by suspending the flow of calcium and phosphates to the jawbone, which causes the jaw to lose mass and density. This causes further tooth loss and could mean there isn’t enough structure to properly support dental implants. After we examine the smile with digital x-rays and intraoral camera images, we gather additional images to help create a 3D computer impression, so we can plan the replacement process with accuracy and precision.
Jawbone Grafting and Sinus Lifts
If the jawbone is too weak to support dental implants, we could use jawbone grafting to strengthen the lower arch, taking tissues from the back of your jaw or hip, or from a donor or synthetic source. This enables this area to support new roots. For the upper arch, we could do a sinus lift to uncover portions of structure to support new teeth. However, we could also look at options like All-On-Four, which use smaller, specially placed implants to support dentures even in smiles with weakened jawbone structure. In fact, the All-On-Four option can be placed and the prosthetic attached in one visit. No matter the option we choose, we will use digital surgical guides to oversee the placement of the new roots into the jawbone, where these titanium posts bond with the smile through osseointegration, securing them like natural roots.
The Restoration and Dental Prosthetic
The osseointegration process helps ensure your new roots are ready to stay in place for decades to come, or possibly even a lifetime. Now, we address the physical part of your new smile. This means adding an abutment to the post that extends above the gum line, so we can connect a crown or even a bridge or denture. These will all be custom-made to ensure a lifelike appearance, and provide a new smile that is durable too. If you have any questions about treating missing teeth, then contact our team today.
Talk to Your Woodland Hills, CA Dentist About Tooth Replacement
Our team is eager to help you enjoy a complete smile again with implant dentistry. If you would like to learn more about treating minor or severe tooth loss, then contact your Woodland Hills, CA dentist, Dr. Naminik, by calling 818-347-5124.