Every year, about 500,000 Americans receive dental implants. Dental implants are the sturdiest of all oral prosthetics and mimic the strength, chewing, and biting abilities of your natural teeth. General dentist Matt Sahli, DDS, and the team at Sunrise Dental of Lacey in Lacey, Washington, regularly use dental implants to restore their patients’ smiles. If you’re interested in seeing if you’re a candidate, request an appointment by calling the office or using the online booking tool today.

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What are dental implants?

Dental implants act as replacement tooth roots. They’re small metal posts that your Sunrise Dental of Lacey provider surgically places in the spaces where your natural tooth used to be.

Following surgery, you return home for 3-4 months. During this time, your bone tissue grows around each implant, fusing them to your jaw.

Dental implants mimic the strength, chewing, and biting abilities of your natural teeth. They’re also incredibly versatile and can support crowns, bridges, or dentures. If you’re missing some or all of your teeth and you hate wearing dentures, dental implants are worth considering.

What are the advantages of dental implants?

Dental implants offer many advantages over traditional oral prosthetics, including:

  • Improved comfort
  • Improved speech
  • Improved appearance
  • Improved oral health
  • Improved self-esteem

Dental implants also make eating easier. Dentures often slip and slide around and make chewing difficult. Dental implants function like your natural teeth, though, allowing you to eat your favorite snacks comfortably.

Am I a candidate for dental implants?

Only a prosthodontist can determine if you’re a candidate for dental implants. That said, you need healthy gums and enough bone to hold the implants.

If you don’t, Dr. Sahli might recommend a bone graft, sinus lift, or periodontal treatment before moving forward with treatment.

If you have a chronic condition like high blood pressure or diabetes, you should also tell Dr. Sahli. These issues won’t necessarily disqualify you from getting dental implants, but they can increase your risk of complications during or after surgery.

What is the process of getting dental implants?

Getting dental implants usually takes a series of appointments and a period of 6-12 months. While this might seem like a major commitment, it’s important to remember that with proper care, your implants can last for decades, even a lifetime.

At your initial consultation, Dr. Sahli does an oral exam, reviews your medical history, and takes a series of X-rays.

If your jaws and gums are healthy, Dr. Sahli administers a local anesthetic and places a series of small metal posts, one for each missing tooth. Following surgery, you return home for 3-4 months to recover.

Once your mouth heals, you return to Sunrise Dental of Lacey. At your second appointment, Dr. Sahli takes impressions of your remaining teeth and sends them to a laboratory that manufactures your crowns, bridge, or dentures. Dr. Sahli also attaches a small metal connector to each implant, called an abutment.

After Sunrise Dental of Lacey receives your final prosthetics, you return to the office for your last appointment.

During this visit, Dr. Sahli bonds your crowns, bridge, or dentures to your dental implants, restoring your smile to its healthy near-original condition. Once placed, you care for your implants just like you would your natural, permanent teeth.

To see if you’re a candidate for dental implants, call Sunrise Dental of Lacey or book an appointment online today.