If you’re missing teeth due to decay or an injury or trauma to the mouth, dental implants may serve as a solution. They can help you regain both a beautiful smile and your self-confidence.
San Francisco Dental Implant Center serves patients from Menlo Park, CA and all throughout the Bay Area. Keep reading to learn more about what dental implants are, how they can benefit you, and what the process to place them will be like.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots made of titanium or ceramic. Their function is to serve as a stable foundation for your new tooth. Scientific journals have found that they yield successful results up to 98% of the time.
What Are the Benefits of Dental Implants?
There are three main categories of benefits from dental implants: aesthetic benefits, lifestyle benefits, and oral health benefits. Let’s learn more about each category.
Aesthetic Benefits
You’ll have a full smile and won’t have to hide your teeth when smiling out of embarrassment anymore.
The new tooth will look exactly like the rest of your teeth. Unless you’ve told them, no one will be able to tell you have an implant.
Lifestyle Benefits
You will notice a greater ability to chew and speak normally again.
The overall comfort of your mouth and gums will be increased, especially if you’re opting for fixed dental implants over dentures that are prone to slipping and sliding.
Dental implants are very durable when compared with traditional dentures too; they should last you the rest of your life with proper care and maintenance. In contrast, dentures usually need to be replaced every 5-8 years.
Oral Health Benefits
You’re less likely to have to deal with infections in your mouth, whether they’re caused by irritated gums due to dentures or empty spaces in your mouth harboring bacteria.
Dental implants close off as many spaces in your mouth as possible, while still allowing enough room in between for proper brushing and flossing. Unlike with dental bridges, you will not need to have any surrounding teeth filed down to place dental implants, helping to preserve your long-term oral health. Dental implants can better protect your mouth from bone loss than traditional dentures.
Contact us for a consult or call (415) 992-9188 now!
What Is the Step-by-Step Process for Getting Dental Implants?
Before dental implants can be placed in your mouth, the providers here at San Francisco Dental Implant Center must determine whether you are a candidate for them. In general, if you are healthy enough to have a root canal performed or a tooth removed without any issues, you are most likely a candidate for dental implants. However since dental implants involve multiple surgical procedures, you will undergo a thorough oral and medical examination prior to anything else. We must make sure you don’t have any underlying medical conditions that might hinder the healing process.
During that first appointment, we will take 3D images in high definition and use them to create models of your teeth and jaw. We will take a full medical history and request a list of any medications you are currently taking, both prescription and OTC. You may be asked to stop taking certain medications before the procedure (e.g., blood thinners), but please do not stop taking anything without first discussing it with your doctor or dentist. If you have had orthopedic implants installed or have certain other conditions, you may be prescribed an antibiotic prior to surgery to prevent infection. If so, please make sure to take it exactly as instructed.
Once we’ve cleared you medically, we will discuss your options for remaining comfortable during the surgery. As our patient, you have the option of choosing nitrous oxide or oral or IV sedation for the surgery. We’d be more than happy to help you determine which is best for you. However, please note that if you end up going with oral or IV sedation, you will need to arrange for a ride to and from our office for the procedure.
On the day of your initial surgery, the process will go as follows. If you have an old tooth or teeth to be removed, we will do that before anything else. Then, we’ll complete any bone grafting necessary to ensure that your jawbone is adequate to support an implant. We’ll take bone from another area of your body or create some using synthetic materials. However, you may need a sinus augmentation instead of bone grafting. This is a procedure that raises the floor of your sinus to give your mouth enough bone for the implant. Many people have hollow spaces above their upper rear teeth, so if your implant is to be placed in that area, be prepared for this.
Several months may have to pass for proper healing. Once healing occurs, the implant will be placed. A small incision will be made in your gum to expose the bone. Then, two small holes will be drilled in your jawbone for the implants. If the implant is exposed, you will be given a temporary denture to wear while the bone and gums heal. Once again, the healing process typically takes several months.
Once your mouth is fully healed, we will place an abutment, or connecting piece, in your mouth. Typically, the healing period following this part is just 2 weeks. Finally, your new tooth will be placed on top of everything.
Why Choose an Oral Surgeon for Your Dental Implants?
Dr. Alex Rabinovich of San Francisco Dental Implant Center has both a medical and dental degree. He is also a board-certified physician with advanced training in oral, maxillofacial, and facial plastic surgery. An expert in both dental implants and bone grafting, he will go out of his way to coordinate your care in the most optimal way possible. He proudly serves patients from Menlo Park, CA and the surrounding areas.
If you’d like to learn more about dental implants or wonder if they’d be right for you, please schedule a consultation with our office!
Call the San Francisco Dental Implant Center today at (415) 992-9188, or email us at info@doctorrabinovich.com.
