Dental Implants – Crown Point, IN

With today’s modern dental techniques & technologies, dental implants are the best choice for replacing missing teeth & restoring your smile to both beauty & functionality. Here are a few answers to the most common questions we hear about dental implants so you can understand how this innovative & reliable treatment works. If you are interested in dental implants to restore your smile, please contact us for a consultation.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are man-made replacements for natural teeth. The implants themselves are artificial tooth roots made from titanium & are anchored in the gum & jawbone. The implant’s screw-like shape helps it stay in place by providing more surface area for your bone to grow into, a process called osseointegration. Replacement teeth, referred to as crowns, are then permanently secured to these metal implants. They can improve your appearance, boost your self-confidence & allow you to speak with greater clarity than you would with missing teeth or ill-fitting dentures.

What are the health benefits of implants?

Because implanted teeth are fixed in the mouth—rather than being removable, like dentures—they allow a return to much of the comfort & function of natural teeth. Increased chewing ability means you can enjoy more nutritious foods, contributing to your overall health & wellbeing. Dental implants can help prevent future dental problems, especially the gradual bone loss in the jaw associated with missing teeth.

What are the quality of life benefits?

In addition to being beneficial to your nutrition, no longer being restricted from eating certain foods can certainly improve your mood! Most people with dental implants are able to enjoy all the same foods as people with natural teeth.

Of course, you may be even more excited about your beautiful smile. If you’ve had missing teeth or poor-fitting dentures, chances are you haven’t been confident in your smile for a while. You may have even been hiding it behind your hand or avoiding smiling completely. Many patients who have gotten dental implants report a spike in confidence & the urge to smile a lot, just because they can!

Some implant patients also experience an improvement in facial aesthetics. Your new implants mean your jaws will align properly, giving your face a more balanced & often more youthful appearance.

How long does treatment take?

Depending on your health condition & the type & number of implants you need, the implant procedure can take a day or a total of a few months.

In most cases when only one or a few implants are being placed, the first phase of treatment involves placing the implant in the bone of the jaw & allowing the bone to heal around it. The procedure itself takes 1-2 hours & the healing time can be 3-6 months. Once the dentist is satisfied that the implant is securely healed in place, the crown (i.e. the artificial tooth) will be attached to the implant. This takes one or two visits, depending on the situation.

For patients who are replacing all of their teeth at once, getting implants & prosthetic teeth placed in a single day is possible, though the overall healing time is usually about the same (3 months).

How long do implants last?

When properly taken care of just like natural teeth, dental implants should last a lifetime. In order to make sure your implants last, it’s important to follow all of the post-procedure instructions from your dentist. If you experience any pain or discomfort for an unusually long time after your procedure, please contact us right away.