Are you looking for a lifelike restoration to replace one or more missing permanent teeth?

We know that losing a permanent tooth can often feel like a nightmare come to life. In this day and age this problem happens more than we wish it did. Luckily, advancing dental technology has made it possible to replace missing teeth with a restoration that is as close to natural teeth as you can possibly get. They are called dental implants and our Easton, MD, family dentists, Dr. Irving Phillips Jr. and Dr. Wade Dressler, are here to explain how they work.

If you were to look at a dental implant it wouldn’t look like much of anything; however, this small metal post can work wonders. First, our Easton dentist will need to make sure that you are a good candidate for treatment. We will go through your medical history and check to make sure that you are healthy enough for treatment.

Once we have determined that implants are right for you here are the steps that you will have to go through to get your new restoration:

Step 1

The first step is to place the implant into the jawbone. In order to do this we will need to first administer a local anesthesia to the area to fully numb it before opening up the gums to reveal the jawbone.

From there, a small hole will be drilled into the jawbone and the implant will be placed within the hole. Once this procedure is complete we will have to wait anywhere from four to seven months for your next visit (the length of time will depend on the placement of the implant).

Step 2

During these several months between your first surgery and your upcoming procedure the implant will fuse with the jawbone to become one. Once the implant and bone have completely fused together we are now ready to perform the next minor surgery.

While under local anesthesia, we will open up the gums to reveal the top of the implant. From there a structure known as a healing cap is placed over top of it. This will help the gums heal properly around the restoration.

Once the gums have fully healed we will remove the healing cap and place an abutment over top of the implant. An abutment is designed to connect the implant with the artificial tooth.

Step 3

A temporary crown is placed over the abutment until your permanent crown is made. Once the lab has created your final crown you will come back in so that we can cement the crown into place to complete your restoration.

Dental Choice in Easton, MD, is dedicated to helping you get that full smile back. If you are dealing with tooth loss and not sure the best way to handle it, then call our office today to sit down and talk about your restorative options.