Having a smile with missing teeth can undermine the look and functionality of your mouth, often forcing you to alter your diet and making you feel less-than-confident about your look.
The skilled team at DentART Chicago can provide the most stable and natural-looking form of tooth replacement with dental implants.
Discover why our patients in the Chicago, IL, region love their dental implants.
Discover the Benefits WHY MIGHT IMPLANT TREATMENT BE FOR YOU?
There are many advantages to replacing damaged or missing teeth with an implant-supported crown, bridge, or denture. Implants can…
-
Implants provide the most authentic-looking replacement for missing teeth. They are custom-designed to fit your mouth and blend in seamlessly with your natural teeth.
-
Missing teeth can impair your ability to speak clearly and eat the foods you desire. By filling the gaps of a missing tooth with secure prosthetic replacement, you can once again take advantage of a fully functional smile.
-
Sustained tooth loss can damage your oral health by triggering jawbone degradation. The titanium implant posts are inserted into the jaw to replace natural tooth roots and prevent bone recession.
-
Dental implants are one of the most durable forms of tooth restoration, offering a permanent replacement for tooth roots and secure artificial teeth that last for decades.
-
When you have full beautiful teeth, you can feel confident in your appearance and take pride in your smile. Patients with implants often have better self-esteem and enhanced quality of life.
A Closer Look at Treatment WHAT HAPPENS DURING SURGERY?
Receiving dental implants is a several step procedure and cannot be done in one visit. Each step of the way, our dentist will consult with you to make the best possible choices based on what they think is best and your candidacy, oral issues, and ultimate goals. During each step and office visit, there is typically some form of anesthesia and/or sedation, but the amount is up to you, and is something you should discuss with your dentist prior to your appointments.
If there’s not enough tissue in your jawbone, the dentist might suggest a bone graft first because there needs to be enough tissue to support the base of the implant, especially when chewing, to make sure the implant stays in place.
To put the actual dental implant in, the dentist will first make an incision in your gum to reach the bone. Next, holes are drilled deep into the bone where the implants will go and a metal implant is inserted. Since this creates a gap, you may be offered a temporary partial denture for cosmetic reasons. You can speak to the dentist about your options for dentures during this recovery period. When the metal implant is in your jaw, your jaw begins to mold around it to provide a better base for the new artificial tooth, which can take a few months.
When the dentist determines that the implant is stable enough in your gum, they will place an abutment on top of the implant, which is the piece that connects to the crown. Sometimes this is done at the same time the metal implant is drilled in.
When this process is complete, you will return to get impressions made of your mouth to make your new crown that will be going into the gaps with the metal implants. You can choose between fixed implants, which are permanently screwed in, or removable ones, which are secure but can be taken out if needed.
Do I Qualify for Implants?
In order to qualify for implants at our Chicago practice, you must meet a number of requirements, including:
Sufficient Jawbone Density
The jaw must have sufficient strength and dentistry in order to support dental implants. If your missing teeth have caused bone recession, the dentist may be able to perform a bone graft to supplement the tissue.
Good Overall Health
Implants require a surgical procedure to embed the titanium posts into the jaw. If you are in poor overall health, suffer from an auto-immune disorder, or have uncontrolled diabetes, we may recommend an alternative form of treatment.
No Periodontal Disease
Patients should have good oral health and be free of periodontal disease to qualify for implants. Gum health is essential to the longterm success of dental implants and can be treated before moving onto restorative procedures.
No Smoking
We never recommend dental implants to patients who smoke. Smoking can interfere with the healing process and increase the risks of complications. We recommend patients quit several months in advance and refrain during their recovery.
