We encourage all patients with missing or severely damaged teeth to consider dental implants for their tooth replacement in Brookings, SD. They are extremely beneficial to patients’ smile, oral health, and oral function. They are the only restoration option designed to preserve your overall health while restoring your smile to its natural beauty. They are incredibly versatile, and they can be used in treatments for a single tooth, multiple teeth, and even an entire arch of teeth. When you visit our office for your consultation, your doctor will determine the best treatment for your needs.
What is a dental implant?
There are three parts to a dental implant: the titanium screw, the metal abutment, and the prosthetic crown. Each piece is specially designed to mimic the anatomy of your natural tooth. The titanium screw acts as your tooth root, integrating with your jaw bone and providing the foundation needed to support the remaining implant pieces. The metal abutment is the connector piece that attaches the implant to the prosthetic crown. Your restorative dentist will custom design this crown to blend seamlessly with your natural teeth. When all three pieces of the implant are in place, it will be identical to your other teeth, and you can smile and eat all your favorite foods with total confidence.
Dental Implant Benefits
Dental implants offer patients several advantages over traditional replacement options, such as bridges and dentures. Whereas most tooth replacement solutions are designed to restore your smile, they do little to combat bone loss, facial sagging, and other more serious health issues. They are the only solution that preserves your oral healthy by preventing bone loss and other problems from occurring. Implants also provide the following benefits:
- Permanence and stability — They are the only replacement option with the ability to last a lifetime. Their integration with your jaw bone and resulting self-supportive nature mean you won’t have to worry about your implants shifting, falling out, or needing replacement.
- Easy cleaning routine — Maintaining them does not require any special care or cleaning solution. Caring for your implants is as easy as brushing twice a day, flossing regularly, and attending regular checkups with your dentist — all the things you would do to preserve your natural teeth.
- Unlimited diet — With many replacement options, such as dentures and bridges, you must be careful about what you eat and even avoid certain foods. Implants are designed to function just like natural teeth, which means you can eat whatever you want without worrying about damaging them.
- Versatility — As previously mentioned, implants can restore a single tooth, many teeth, and an entire arch of teeth. This versatility means that their benefits are not limited to patients with only mild tooth loss.
Whether you have one tooth missing or suffer from extreme tooth loss, dental implants may be the perfect solution for you. Contact our office in Brookings, SD, to hear more about the benefits of tooth replacement.
Types of Dental Implants
At Siouxland Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, we offer several types of dental implants in addition to traditional metal implants. During your consultation, we will discuss all of your implant options and select the right choice for your needs.
Zygomatic (Zygoma) Implants
Zygomatic dental implants help patients with upper jaw bone loss receive long-lasting dental implants. These implants, also known as zygoma implants, are inserted into the cheekbone instead of the upper jaw. This treatment is ideal for patients who wish to restore missing teeth with implants, but who lack sufficient upper jaw bone due to disease, medication, or trauma. Zygomatic implants do not require bone grafts, reducing the overall treatment time while providing the same fantastic results as traditional dental implants. By offering zygomatic implants, we help make implant-based tooth restoration an option for more patients.
Ceramic (Zirconia) Implants
Traditional dental implants are made of titanium. For patients with metal allergies or who seek an alternative to titanium implants, we proudly offer zirconia implants. These implants are metal-free and provide the same restorative benefits as traditional implants. Because zirconia is a naturally tooth-colored material, it will not show through the gums like some titanium dental implants, providing aesthetically pleasing results. Ceramic implants are a healthy and holistic way to restore missing teeth, and we can see if they are right for your smile during the consultation. Contact us today to learn more about ceramic implants in Brookings, SD.
Dental Implant Procedure
Dental implants can be used in various tooth replacement treatments, which means your procedure will differ from other patients at our Brookings, SD, office. Your treatment will be tailored to fit your specific needs. All patients must attend a consultation appointment as the first step, which gives our oral surgeons a chance to examine your condition and determine the best plan of action. Your consultation is also the perfect opportunity for you to get all your questions answered and discuss which form of anesthesia you’d like to receive.
The next time you return to our office will be for your surgical appointment. Your doctor will administer your anesthesia and ensure you feel no discomfort before gently placing the titanium implant screw into your empty tooth socket. He will then cover the screw with your gums and carefully stitch them up. Over the next few months, the surgical site will heal, and your implant screw will fuse with your jaw bone.
When the integration process is complete, we will schedule your final appointment, during which your doctor will place the connecting abutment. Once this is in place, your restorative dentist can attach your custom-designed prosthetic crown. Upon the completion of the implant placement process, you can begin using your new tooth immediately and smile with renewed confidence.
Permanent Denture Replacement With Dental Implants
If you wear dentures, you may find them to feel clunky and not allow you to fully enjoy your favorite foods due to a lack of functionality. Our surgeons proudly offer a solution to these issues with full-arch restoration, a treatment that replaces dentures with an implant-supported prosthesis.
Traditional dentures do not fuse to the jaw bone, whereas dental implants act just like natural tooth roots to keep the jaw healthy. Implants provide stability and after undergoing this treatment, you will regain full function of your smile and eat, laugh, and speak with total confidence. We can also replace partial dentures with implant-supported bridges or multiple implants. Learn more about denture replacement in Brookings, SD, and how we can restore your smile’s health, appearance, and function.
What You Need to Know About Dental Implants
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Dental Implants in Brookings, SD
If you live in Brookings, SD, and you have damaged or missing teeth, we encourage you to consider dental implants. You can hear more about this revolutionary tooth replacement option by scheduling an appointment at our office. Our doctors can help you determine if dental implants are the best solution for your needs. We look forward to meeting you.