What You Need To Know About Dental Implants

Your Woodland, CA, dentist, Dr. James Zimmerman, places dental implants for patients missing teeth. If you are missing a tooth, you don't have to live with that gap in your smile! Dental implants can be life-changing by restoring function to the mouth and completing smiles again.

Dental implants

Dental implants are an excellent option for replacing missing teeth because they are strong and blend in perfectly with your natural smile. When you have missing teeth, it can cause problems with chewing and speaking, as well as other dental problems because surrounding teeth in the area will shift. It's best to replace missing teeth for the health of your jaw bone, too. When you get a dental implant at our Woodland, CA, practice it strengthens your jaw bone in the area of the missing tooth that would otherwise become compromised.

Dental implants are made from a titanium post that is embedded into the jaw bone and a ceramic crown that sits on top as a replacement tooth. Together they are a strong replacement for a natural tooth. Implants can also replace multiple teeth in the same area with a bridge. Two posts are implanted and a custom crown that looks like multiple teeth, called a bridge, covers the area.

Getting a dental implant

The first step in the process of getting a dental implant is minor surgery to place the implant post. The area is numbed and the titanium post is implanted into your jaw bone. Following this initial surgery, there is a period of several weeks where you heal and your jaw bone fuses to the implant in a process called osseointegration. During this time, you wear a temporary tooth cap and your custom crown is fabricated.

At a final appointment, your permanent crown is placed and you leave with a new tooth! Caring for your dental implant is simple if you keep up a good oral hygiene routine. Brush for two minutes twice a day and floss at least once a day. Make sure you floss in the area of the implant and remove all debris from around the crown. If you grind your teeth at night, your dentist will recommend a nightguard to protect the new crown.

If you are missing teeth, Dr. Zimmerman places dental implants to restore function to the mouth and bring beautiful smiles back! Contact us for an appointment in Woodland, CA, at (530) 661-1155.