Dental Implants

Dental Implants in Pittsburgh, PA

If you’re truly looking for a way to replace your missing teeth and give your smile a serious makeover, then you’ll want to consider how dental implants could benefit your oral health. Dental implants are the only tooth loss replacement solution that offers a myriad of unique benefits that other options don’t. Our Pittsburgh, PA, cosmetic dentist Dr. John Sartorio can provide you with a beautiful, long-lasting prosthetic tooth that looks just like the rest of your smile.

I keep hearing about dental implants. What are they?

Dental implants are the only long-term solution for replacing one, several, or all of your missing teeth. While dentures and bridges are still an option, dental implants are the only treatment that offers a replacement tooth that both looks and feels like the real thing. A dental implant consists of three parts:

• The implant: a small titanium screw or post
• The abutment: a connector that sits on top of the implant and holds the artificial tooth in place
• The artificial tooth (aka the dental crown): an artificial tooth that goes over the abutment to replace your missing tooth

Why should I consider dental implants?

Dental implants offer a variety of advantages that other treatments just can’t, including:

• Renewed self-confidence
• An enhanced and improved smile
• Improved speech and restored chewing strength
• A restoration that requires fewer repairs and adjustments than dentures and bridges
• Preserved jaw health while also promoting the growth of new bone cells
• Supporting the muscles and structure of the face (tooth loss can cause the cheeks to sink in, prematurely aging the face)
• A restoration that’s designed to last the rest of your life

How do I get dental implants?

Once our Pittsburgh dentist Dr. Sartorio has approved you for implants, the first step requires minor surgery to place the implant. Don’t worry—the procedure is performed under local anesthesia so you won’t experience any discomfort. Here are the steps required to get dental implants:

• We open up the gums over the missing tooth socket and drill a tiny hole into the jawbone
• We will then place the implant into the jawbone and stitch up your gums
• After 6-8 weeks of healing, the bone and tissue will have fused with the implant to make it a permanent fixture within the jawbone
• Once these several weeks are over and your mouth has healed, we will open up the gums to uncover the implant and place the abutment
• After a couple more weeks of healing after the placement of the abutment, you will come in for your final visit where we will permanently attach your dental crown to complete the dental implant

If you want to find out whether you could benefit from getting dental implants, then schedule a consultation with our dentist, 

Dr. Sartorio. Let implants give you that perfect smile. Call (412) 831-8700 today.