Dental Implants

Whether you have missing teeth, dying teeth, or you’re at risk for either, dental implants could be just what you need. Absolute Smile excels at fixing those gaps in your smile with dental implants.

What is a Dental Implant?

Dental implants are little devices built to replace missing teeth. They are made up of a screw and a cap. Your old tooth’s root is removed and replaced with the screw, which is placed into the bone. This is called osseointegration. The cap on top of the implant imitates the look of a natural tooth, so no one would ever know the difference.

Advantages of Dental Implants

Dental implants are amazing devices for a few reasons. Unlike your natural teeth, dental implants can’t die. Plaque from food is still a threat so you do have to keep them clean, but without a natural tooth root under your implant, there’s no chance of the tooth dying.

Also, the longevity. Teeth implants that are taken care of can last your entire life. You might even forget that you have a tooth implant at all!

The cap itself might need to be replaced on occasion, but once that screw’s in there, you’re set.

The Surgical Process

First, we remove your old tooth’s root. When the root’s out, the screw part of the implant is put in its place. However, if there isn’t enough bone to secure the implant, you might have to get a bone graft first.

Once everything’s set, we stitch the gums closed for healing. Healing could take a long time, up to half a year if your gums are slow to heal. During this time, the bone fuses with the implant as well.

When the gums are healed and the implant is fused, we reopen the gums and place a structure known as an abutment that connects the implant to the crown. Inserting the abutment is a lot less invasive than putting in the implant; local anesthesia is usually all it takes for a smooth abutment placement.

Your then given a temporary crown to use while your gums are healing again. During this 2nd healing process, we make the permanent crown for you; this usually takes a few weeks.

Dental implant surgery can be in multiple steps or in one go. Absolute Smile’s professionals can do a thorough evaluation of your situation and recommend the best option for you.

How To Care For Dental Implants

Caring for your dental implant is almost exactly the same as caring for your natural teeth.

Make sure you’re brushing your teeth twice a day and floss daily as well. Use mouth wash for good measure.

For some, flossing is difficult due to gum sensitivity and similar issues. To get around this, you can buy either floss threaders or interdental brushes. Floss threaders let you insert floss through the middle of your teeth rather than from above, while interdental brushes are like soft toothpicks.

Don’t slack on your checkups either. Schedule a checkup with Absolute Smile every 6 months. Not only will we make sure your dental implant is working fine, but we’ll keep your teeth clean and healthy so you can keep flashing those pearly whites.