Dental Implants

Beachwood, OH

Patients at Aspire Dental Spa who have lost one or more teeth and do not want to replace them with dentures may be able to opt for dental implants. These permanent replacement teeth can be the ideal replacement option, though there are some conditions you must meet in order to be able to use implants. If you are interested in learning more about implants, you can always come in for a consultation.

The Three Parts Of Dental Implants

While there are three parts to a dental implant, all you will see in the mirror is the crown. While the name is the same as a dental crown for a tooth, in this case, a crown refers to the entire replacement tooth. It is the uppermost part of an implant, which is why it is known as a crown. Crowns are made from zirconium or porcelain. We can adjust the shade of the crown to match your natural teeth so that it blends in.

The crown is attached to an abutment. The abutment provides support and holds the crown in place. In turn, the abutment sits upon the post. This is the part of the implant that is actually embedded into your bone. It extends through the gum and is usually made out of titanium or other durable metal. Over time, the post actually fuses to the bone, becoming a solid part of your mouth.

The Three Types Of Dental Implants

We place three different types of dental implants. If you are only missing one tooth, we can do a single implant. This implant is placed on a post with an abutment. The second type of implant is similar to a bridge. It takes the place of several teeth. Unlike a bridge, placing this implant does not require us to put crowns on the natural teeth on either end of the space. We may be able to support the implants with a post at either end of the bridge, or we may need to place posts for every implant. It depends on your unique situation.

The final type of dental implants is known as All-on-4. This option replaces all of your natural teeth in the upper or lower part of your mouth. As the name suggests, we only need to place four posts. These posts support all of the implants. If you are having all of your teeth replaced, you would have four posts in your lower jaw and four in the upper.

What Is The Implant Procedure Like?

When getting implants, you will need to come in for several FXappointments. At the first appointment, we will take measurements of your mouth, x-rays, and other digital images. This is the information we will use to create custom implants. We will determine the right shade and size of each crown and check to make certain you have enough bone to hold the post in place. If you do not, we may have to schedule a bone graft first.

Next, we will set a time to have any necessary extractions done. In some cases, we may be able to do the extractions and implants on the same day. In other situations, you may need to wait several weeks to heal. Once you have healed and the posts have been placed, you may also need to wait for your bone to fuse to the post. Again, it depends on your unique oral health and other factors.

If you are interested in learning if you are a good candidate for implants and what getting implants might entail, please reach out to Aspire Dental Spa at (216) 342-4388. We would love to talk to you.