Dental Implants – Danville, CA
Artificial Roots for Sturdier, Stronger Teeth
What’s the best option for filling the gaps in your grin left by missing teeth? For some people, the answer might be a traditional denture or bridge – but in many cases, dental implants may be the top choice. This is thanks to the fact that dental implants in Danville can mimic the roots of natural teeth, thus providing all kinds of advantages. If you are interested in getting dental implants and would like to ask our team at Main Street Family Dental Danville for more information, please give us a call.
Why Choose Main Street Family Dental Danville for Dental Implants?
- In-House Dental Implant Placement
- All-on-4 Implant Dentures Available
- Advanced Cone Beam Scanner
What Are Dental Implants?
The dental implants that we place are posts made out of titanium, a metal known for its biocompatibility (meaning it won’t have any harmful effects on the living tissues in your mouth). What makes dental implants different from traditional tooth replacements is that they are inserted into your jaw and effectively become part of the bone around them. Many patients find that artificial teeth supported by dental implants tend to feel and act very similar to their real teeth.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
Unlike dentures or dental bridges, dental implants have a multi-step treatment process that spans a few months. Still, you can rest easy – the posts’ long-term benefits are worth the time and effort. Dr. Lei even performs the placement in-house to ensure the best possible results. As for the actual care, you can expect four major steps: consultation, surgery, osseointegration, and delivery of the final restoration. Please keep reading to learn more or call us for details.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
Before anything else, you’ll meet Dr. Lei for a consultation visit. This session lets him learn your treatment goals, as well as your oral health background and similar factors. He’ll use these details to determine whether dental implants suit you and adjust your final procedure(s).
Please don't feel down if we decide you don’t qualify for dental implants. You can become a good candidate later through extra procedures – gum disease treatment, tooth extractions, etc. Those services (which we could help arrange) would strengthen your mouth to handle implant posts.
Dental Implant Surgery
As mentioned before, Dr. Liu performs the dental implant surgery in-house. That means your treatment will benefit from his advanced training and years of experience. Plus, you’ll save time otherwise spent seeing an outside oral surgeon.
The implant surgery itself will involve several actions. For starters, Dr. Liu will numb the treatment site so it won’t hurt while he works; you’ll only feel a slight pressure. He’ll then make a small incision in your gums to create space for the implant post. Afterward, he’ll place the actual implant before suturing your gums shut. Dr. Liu will conclude the surgery by putting a protective cap over the post.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment
Once the initial surgery is over, your dental implant will start fusing with your jaw. This process (i.e., osseointegration) takes roughly 4-6 months and secures the “new tooth.” In other words, it’ll make your new implant very stable and a permanent part of your mouth.
After the fusion concludes, you’ll attend a follow-up surgery at our office. That’s when we’ll place the abutment – a special metal connector – that secures your restoration. While you heal from the placement, a dental lab will craft the final prosthetic over several weeks.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)
Dr. Liu will deliver your final restoration at the end of your implant treatment. To be specific, he’ll place a prosthetic that “matches up” with how many teeth you’re replacing. This device could range from a dental crown or bridge to a complex implant denture.
Fitting your final restoration shouldn’t take our team long. To do so, we usually just have to apply some dental cement. We’ll then make any needed last-minute changes to ensure the best results, leaving you free to enjoy your restored smile!
Benefits of Dental Implants
Patients often ask us how dental implants could benefit them. The truth is that there are many advantages to this cutting-edge dental replacement! We could probably go on all day about what makes them so life-changing (and we would be happy to if you’d like more information!), so we thought it would be a good idea to put together some of the highlights below. If you find them convincing, be sure to schedule a consultation with Dr. Lei.
Day-to-Day Benefits
You’ll immediately start to notice positive changes in your daily routine once your dental implants are placed. Since these advantages will affect you the most, let’s look at them first:
Greater Biting Force: Dental implants make it possible to comfortably chew foods that dentures often have a tougher time with. This means you’ll be able to eat a wider variety of meals morning, noon, and night!
Easy Maintenance: Because of how they’re designed and meticulously placed, dental implants function almost exactly like natural teeth. Brushing, flossing, and rinsing won’t require extra work – a simple twice-daily brushing routine and once-daily flossing will do.
Health Benefits
The process of receiving dental implants can be quite lengthy, but many patients find the wait worth it for the health benefits alone! Here’s what you can expect:
Bone Loss Prevention: It’s natural for the jawbone to deteriorate after a tooth is lost or extracted, but you can stop this process by having dental implants placed. Since they’re anchored to the jawbone much like dental roots, they help stimulate bone growth by transferring stimulus when you chew. Neat, huh?
Improved Nutrition: Since you’ll be able to eat more foods, that naturally means more vitamins and minerals in your diet. But did you know efficient chewing helps your body absorb more nutrients? Thanks to dental implants’ chewing power, you’ll get more out of your meals.
Long-Term Benefits
Last but not least, dental implants come with advantages that will stay with you for years to come, such as:
Increased Confidence: There will no longer be any gaps in your grin, and your implant posts won’t come with any risk of accidental slippage. Patients find this empowering, as they can talk and smile without worries.
Lasting Reliability: With proper care, dental implants can go the distance. You could enjoy your replacements for 30 years or more! Thanks to their structural stability and impressive durability, you can rely on them to benefit your quality of life for decades.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
It’s not always obvious who is or isn’t a dental implant candidate, but an adult who has lost at least one tooth can likely qualify for the treatment as long as they also have a strong jawbone and good oral health. Remember, dental implants can replace any number of teeth; it’s simply a matter of determining the number of posts that have to be placed in the jaw as well as the kind of restoration they’ll support.
Missing One Tooth
A single gap in your grin can cause problems no matter where it’s located. An implant post can be placed where the tooth used to be so that a dental crown can be attached to it. Said crown will look like a natural part of your smile thanks to the materials it’s made of, and it will stop your other teeth from drifting out of their proper alignment.
Missing Multiple Teeth
You don’t always need to get an implant post for every single tooth that you’ve lost. For example, if three or more teeth in a row are missing, all we need to fill in the gap is a pair of dental implant posts and a bridge. A strategic number of implants can also be used to support a partial denture if several gaps need to be addressed.
Missing All of Your Teeth
The idea of losing an entire row of teeth can be distressing, but a full denture supported by four or more carefully placed dental implant posts can help you get the most out of life again. Many implant dentures are permanently fixed in place, which is good news for anyone who doesn’t want to have to worry about taking them out to clean them.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
The price tag for dental implants may typically be higher compared to traditional bridges and dentures. However, since dental implants have longer lifespans and are less likely to require replacement, they might ultimately end up saving you money. Bear in mind that the cost of dental implants in Danville is different for every patient, but you will be given an accurate estimate by our dental team before you need to commit to moving forward with the treatment.