Are you comparing your options for replacing a missing tooth? While you have plenty of options, including bridges and dentures, dental implants continue to grow in popularity. With over 500,000 new implants placed each year, more and more people are turning to implants to restore the beauty and function of their mouth.
As oral surgeons, our team specialists at Northern Virginia Oral, Maxillofacial & Impact Surgery are experts when it comes to placing dental implants — including single dental implants as well as All-on-4® implants.
Do you have one or more missing teeth?
Missing a tooth (or even multiple teeth) is the first requisite to receiving a dental implant. Dental implants are prosthetic teeth, but unlike dentures, implants aren’t removable. Dental implants replace your missing tooth with three key parts:
- A titanium post (serves as your prosthetic tooth roots)
- An abutment (connects your post and your crown)
- A dental crown (this is the final piece, the prosthetic tooth)
Because the titanium post is surgically implanted in your jaw, your dental implant doesn’t need the support of neighboring teeth. It is a self-sufficient prosthetic. This means that you can replace one individual tooth without impacting other teeth. Dental implants can also replace full rows of missing teeth via All-on-4® implants. In this case, a full row of implants is supported just on four implant posts.
You might be an ideal candidate if…
Missing one or more teeth isn’t the only qualification for receiving implants. In order to give your implant the best chance of success, you should be in good overall health and committed to the recovery process and healing timelines.
Ideal candidates:
- Have healthy gums
- Have healthy jaw bone
- Have enough jaw bone
- Have reached maturity (i.e., your jaw bone isn’t still growing)
Although implant surgery is safe and tolerated by most people, dental implants aren’t ideal for everyone. Dental implants may not be recommended for smokers. Smoking can increase the risk of peri-implantitis, delay healing, and contribute to implant failure. In addition, be sure to tell one of our providers if you have any underlying chronic conditions (such as diabetes) or if you’re immunocompromised.
Overcoming obstacles
If you’re interested in implants — but don’t have enough healthy bone — you’re not necessarily out of the running. We may suggest sinus lifts and bone grafts to help prepare your mouth for your implant. Not everyone who wants an implant needs these procedures, but they can make your dream of implants into a reality.
Sinus lift may be beneficial if your upper jaw is weak and/or damaged. Bone grafts supplement your jaw bone with bone graft material so that your jaw is healthy and strong enough to support an implant.
Once your jaw heals from these procedure(s), you’ll return to our office and we’ll place your implant. While sinus lifts and bone grafts can add to your recovery timeline, they can help you achieve your oral health goals.
Experience the benefits of dental implants
A beautiful smile isn’t the only perk of having a dental implant. Implants can:
- Boost your self-confidence
- Make it easier to eat (especially if you’re missing more than one tooth)
- Help you speak clearly (especially if you’re missing more than one tooth)
- Restore your smile without the hassle of cleaning under a bridge or soaking dentures
To find out if you’re an ideal candidate for dental implants, call our Burke, Reston, or Alexandria office today. You may also request an appointment via our website.