Dental Implants in Austin

When tooth is extracted, your dentist will ask you to consider restorative options. This includes either a dental bridge, a partial denture, or a dental implant. As your dentist in Austin, TX, we suggest a dental implant as the best restoration for you. Although dental implants are more on the pricier side, their benefits outweigh their cost. At Authentic Smiles, we perform both the dental implants procedure, in addition to placing the crown.

Dental Implants Procedure

The procedure for dental implants begins with a thorough dental exam given by Dr. Matt. Dr. Matt looks for sufficient bone mass as well as signs of gum or periodontal disease. If you do not have enough bone mass, you will need a bone graft before being considered for dental implants, otherwise the implant will not stay put in the jaw. Bone grafts can help your jaw create more bone mass to take in a dental implant. Once Dr. Matt confirms you are a good candidate for dental implants after an exam and x-rays, he will schedule your dental implant surgery. It should be noted that if you recently had an extraction, your gums will need to heal before dental implant surgery.

Under a local anesthetic, Dr. Matt surgically places the titanium screw into your jaw. During the healing process, you are placed with a temporary crown. Once your jawbone has completely healed, usually within 2-6 months, you are fitted with a permanent crown. The dental crown will match the shape and color of your surrounding teeth so there is not need to worry about it looking fake.

The Benefits of Dental Implants

When a tooth is extracted, your gums recognize the absence of tooth root, and begin losing bone mass. As a result, your face will begin to sag and show early signs of aging. The gap from the missing tooth will also cause any adjacent teeth to start shifting inwards to fill the gap. This results in crooked teeth. With a dental bridge, your teeth won’t shift inward, however, bone mass loss is still a result. Therefore, dental implants are the most health efficient solution.

The titanium screw placed in your jaw will prevent any bone mass loss from happening. In addition, the crown attached to the implant will prevent any teeth from shifting. Another benefit of dental implants is the security of knowing you can chew and smile without feeling like your tooth will fall out, or someone will know it’s fake. Our dental crowns look completely natural, and feels completely secure.

Caring for Your Dental Implant

Dental implant care is as easy as caring for your natural teeth. You will need to brush and floss regularly as well as visit us for regular cleanings. Without proper oral hygiene, periodontal diseases can develop and cause your implants to fail. In addition, smoking can also cause dental implants to fail, so we do not recommend our patients continue smoking after their procedure. One of the only ways implants are damaged is from physical damage to the crown. This can happen from hitting your crown on something hard, clenching, grinding your teeth, and from playing contact sports. To protect your crown, we recommend wearing a mouth guard during sleep if you are prone to clenching or grinding, or wearing one during contact sports.

Contact Our Austin Dentist for Dental Implants

If you are searching for the best restorative option for your missing tooth, consider dental implants from Authentic Smiles in Austin, TX. We can be reached via phone at 512-330-9403 or with our online contact form on our contact us page.