Dental Implants

What are dental implants?

Like dentures, a dental implant involves the use of a prosthetic or fake tooth. The difference with this treatment option is that implants are permanent for many patients. That's why implants stand out over other forms of dental appliances such as full dentures or dental bridges.

With dental implants, Dr. Fuentes and Dr. Peterson surgically embed a titanium post into the jaw bone. A custom-made prosthetic tooth is attached to the post to fill the space left by a missing natural tooth.

What are the benefits of dental implants?

The most obvious benefit is a dental implant offers a potentially permanent solution to a missing natural tooth. When you lose a tooth and don’t fill that space, it can affect the entire architecture of your mouth, and that changes your appearance.

Dental implants also make it easier for you to eat, which has limitations if you’re missing a tooth or wearing a removable denture that may slip.

What is done before getting the implants?

The process starts with the Dr. Fuentes and/or Dr. Peterson doing an evaluation of your physical and dental health. It may also be necessary to fix a few things to ensure the success of your implant. For example, he may want to do a sinus lift or bone graft. This strengthens the bone and other key areas to support the new implant. In some cases, it may be necessary to do extractions, as well. This helps stabilize the post.

At some point, Dr. Fuentes and Dr. Peterson's staff will do X-rays of your mouth and take measurements to create a customized prosthesis that fits properly.

What stages are involved in getting a dental implant?

The surgery itself is done in stages that require multiple visits to the dentist's office. The stages include:

• Extraction of the damaged tooth
• Jaw preparation including graphs, if necessary
• Placement of the dental implant after the jaw heals
• Attachment of the abutment, an extension of the post that connects with prosthetic tooth
• Placement of the tooth after the gum heals