Dental Implants

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are tiny titanium posts designed to integrate with your jawbone and replace the roots of missing teeth. Along with an attachment piece called an abutment, a dental implant attaches to a restorative device like a single-implant crown, bridge, or a full arch of new teeth. 

Dr. Patel places your dental implant or implants with a minor oral surgery in the office. It takes at least two visits to complete the treatment, with the first being the placement of the implant. After a few months, your bone fuses with the implant in a process called osseointegration. 

Once the implant is sturdy in your jawbone, Dr. Patel welcomes you for a second minor surgery at Smyl Manatee. At that point, he places the abutment on the implant and attaches the restoration. Some restorations are cemented in place permanently while others are removable.

Why should I choose dental implants?

Like any dental treatment, implants aren’t the best option in every case, and you should work with Dr. Patel to decide what’s best for you. If dental implants are an option, there are plenty of advantages to consider. Implants can:

• Replace one or multiple teeth — even a full arch
• Improve eating ability
• Improve speech clarity
• Look and feel like natural teeth
• Preserve your jawbone health and facial contours
• Remain stable and won’t slip out or make noise 

Dental implants boast a success rate of up to 98%. As long as your bone integrates with them successfully, they’ll remain in your mouth for a lifetime. You can update the restorations if you choose without having to get entirely new titanium dental implants.

How does planning for dental implants work?

Dr. Patel plans your treatment with dental implants in great detail using the latest technologies and imaging tests. Since getting dental implants involves multiple steps and multiple devices, you can expect the planning to take some time. 

During a personalized consultation, Dr. Patel asks questions about your overall goals and performs a brief assessment to make sure your mouth and jaw are healthy enough for dental implants. He uses 3D cone beam digital imaging technology to take comprehensive X-rays of your mouth and jaw so he knows exactly how to position the implant or implants.

Before you get implants, Dr. Patel also discusses your options for sedation during the procedure and your options for your restorations. He can use Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics (CEREC) in some cases to prepare your restorations right after attaching the abutments of the implants. 

To book an appointment at Smyl Manatee for dental implants and restorations, call the office or use the online scheduling feature today.