Okemos, Lansing, East Lansing MI
Missing teeth is a dental problem that has far-reaching consequences. Large gaps in teeth because of a missing tooth can cause embarrassment, preventing someone from feeling proud and confident with their smile. But even more troubling, missing teeth can cause serious oral health issues. A missing tooth can hinder someone’s ability to chew, which can negatively affect a person’s nutrition. It can also cause jawbone shrinkage due to bone loss, causing a face to lose its fullness over time. Additionally, surrounding teeth will move and shift to fill the gap that a missing tooth leaves in the mouth. This just multiplies the dental problems that will need to be addressed down the road.
Why not prevent all these issues and talk to our cosmetic dentist in Okemos about dental implants? Implants are a multi-part, revolutionary restorative option for missing teeth. They look, feel and behave just like natural teeth.
Let’s take a look today at the four steps to a dental implant:
Step 1: Tooth removal and jaw prep
If a tooth isn’t already missing but needs to be extracted due to damage or decay, the first step in the dental implant procedure is to remove the affected tooth. A severely decayed tooth can cause the jawbone to decay as well. In this case, the jawbone will need to be prepared with a bone graft that fills in areas where bone loss has occurred. Bone is usually grafted from synthetic bone, bone from another part of the body or bone from a human tissue bank. Healing from this procedure, on average, takes 3-6 months.
Step 2: Dental implant placement
Once the jawbone is prepared and healed, it’s time to start placing the implant. During this part of the process, our Lansing cosmetic dentist who specializes in dental implants will make sure you’re comfortable with an anesthetic before drilling a space into the jawbone where a metal “root” will later be inserted for the new tooth. We will use X-rays and 3D imaging to determine where to place the implant while avoiding nerves. The jawbone almost immediately becomes stimulated when the implant post is inserted, growing and fusing around it. This process, which is called osseointegration, usually takes 3-9 months to heal and will provide a stable place to attach the new tooth. While healing, our E. Lansing cosmetic dentist will often place a “healing cap” on top of the implant to ensure the implant post stays clean while shaping the gums for better crown placement.
Step 3: Abutment placement
After the jawbone has fused around the implant, we will remove the healing cap to make way for the placement of the abutment, a screw-like piece – usually titanium or other non-reactive metal – that will connect the crown to the implant. Sometimes the abutment will be placed at the same time as the implant. Local anesthesia will likely be used – not because the abutment placement will hurt, but because it must be tightened to make sure the dental implant stays in place.
Step 4: Crown placement
At this stage of the process, the implant is ready for the crown, which is the custom-made “tooth” part of the implant. The dentist will make an impression of your mouth and teeth to determine the tooth size and shape. Crowns will be custom fabricated to match surrounding teeth. The crown can be permanent or removable. A permanent crown is cemented into the mouth as if it were a real tooth. The dentist makes sure the crown fits and will leave enough space for floss to fit between the teeth and that the patient feels no pain when biting down.
Dental Implants in East Lansing and Okemos
Dental implants are state-of-the-art tooth replacements that look, feel and behave like natural teeth using a multi-part process that drastically improves a smile. This, in turn, restores a patient’s self-confidence and oral oral health. It’s no wonder this revolutionary restorative treatment is increasingly being recommended by dentists and chosen by patients who struggle with missing teeth. If you’re missing a tooth or know that a tooth needs to be extracted, don’t delay any longer. Call us at Tenaglia Smiles — (517) 940-8684 — to schedule a consultation today.