Dental implants – Dentist serving Tarzana, Woodland Hills, Encino, Sherman Oaks

Dental implants are one of the most natural ways to handle the issue of a lost tooth or teeth. The reason for this is because they replace not only the tooth, but the root as well. This can be quite effective, because unlike other treatments the replacement becomes permanent and has more stability. Depending on the dentist one uses, the replacement tooth or teeth can look nearly identical to the tooth that had been lost and many people may never even know one has a replacement. This can be a tremendous benefit in numerous ways.


What exactly is an implant?

When a tooth is missing, a dental implant takes the place of the missing root and a prosthetic crown replaces the natural crown. A natural tooth has a crown - the part which shows above the gumline, and a root - the anchor hidden below the gumline.

The Implant Procedure

The implant procedure is the same whether one or all teeth are missing. In this example, there is only one missing lower tooth. For the purpose of demonstation we will assume the patient is healthy and is a candidate for this procedure.

Implant Site Preparation

The gum tissue is opened to expose the bone area where the implant will be placed. In situations where there is insufficient bone structure, bone grafting may be a recommended procedure.

Once healthy bone material has been established, a special drill is used to prepare the bone to receive the implant.

Placing the Implant

After the bone has been prepared, the implant is placed and the tissue is sutured.

The Healing Process - Osseointegration

The healing process takes three to six months. This is the amount of time it usually takes the implant to become part of the lower jaw, commonly refered to as osseointegration.