Implanting Confidence with a Smile - By: Patricia Woloch

When you’re happy with the appearance of your teeth, you take laughing and smiling for granted. When you’re missing one or more teeth, however, you’ll find yourself becoming self-conscious about your smile, and may limit your laughing and smiling, which certainly can take the enjoyment out of life!

“Missing teeth can cause more than just aesthetic problems,” says Dr. Dennis Ikuta, a Reedley, California cosmetic dentist. “Missing teeth can lead to many different dental problems that can be even more invasive and expensive to correct.”

Missing Teeth Should be Filled

Dentists recommend replacing missing teeth as soon as possible. Not only are missing teeth aesthetically displeasing, large gaps in your smile are a breeding ground for disease. The longer you go without replacing missing teeth, the greater your chances are for infections.

Fortunately, there’s an easy, effective way to replace missing teeth. It involves a dental implant. A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is inserted into your jawbone. Dental implants are permanent. The implant is used to anchor an artificial tooth, called a pontic. A pontic is custom-created just for you, to match the size, shape, and color of your existing teeth.

There are two different types of implants – a “root form” implant and a “plate form” implant. They both are inserted under your gum line. They type of implant used depends on the structure and health of your gums and jawbone. For weaker, typically older, jawbones, the plate form implant is used, since it provides a stronger foundation.

Implanting the Implant

Inserting the implant into the gum line is a surgical procedure. A small incision is made in the gum line, and the implant is placed either in or on the jawbone, depending on the type of implant you are receiving. Then the incision is then closed and sutured. Dental implants must fuse to the jawbone through a process called osseointegration.

Osseointegration takes anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to complete. Afterward, the dental implant will be firmly anchored in place, and the pontic can then be attached. The pontic is screwed into the implant during a second appointment.

Once the pontic is set in your mouth, you’ll treat is just as you would your natural tooth. With proper brushing and flossing, your new, artificial tooth will last a lifetime!

About the Author

It’s time to give yourself a full smile! Every day you go with a missing tooth increases your chances of dental infections. So if you’re missing one or more teeth, contact Dr. Ikuta to discuss your own implant options by visiting his website or calling (559) 638-6321.

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