Dental Implants – Columbus, OH

What are Dental Implants?

A dental implant is a small titanium post that is embedded below the gumline to mimic the form and function of natural root structures. These implant posts resemble screws but are actually hollow cylinders. Once the implant is in place, an abutment can be screwed into the implant post, securing a replacement tooth or teeth.

 

The 4-Step Dental Implant Process

Dental implants are placed in four phases and can take anywhere from three to six months and longer in some cases. The first phase is the initial consultation; during this visit, we can determine whether or not you’re a viable candidate for implants based on your oral health and the state of your jaw. Next is the surgical placement of the implant posts below the gumline. This part of the process is completed by a trusted specialist.

 

During the third phase, following implant placement, patients need to wait three to six months for the tissue to heal and for the dental implant to fuse with the jawbone. This healing and attachment phase is known as osseointegration. Once osseointegration is complete, patients return to our office for the fourth and final phase where we place the final restoration. From a single dental crown to a full denture, we’re able to provide custom-crafted restorations to restore any number of missing teeth comfortably and securely with dental implants.

 

Benefits of Dental Implants

• Dental implants replace the roots of your missing teeth so that they can keep your new smile firmly in place and keep the underlying jawbone healthy and strong.
• The chewing power provided by implants is almost on par with natural teeth, so you’ll be able to eat whatever you want again.
• Dental implants are much more durable than traditional bridges and dentures, and they can potentially last the rest of your life if you take proper care of them.

 

Who Dental Implants Can Help

Any patient who has experienced tooth loss from a single tooth to a full arch should consider dental implants. If patients have a history of surgical concerns or immune-compromising diseases like diabetes, they may not be a good candidate for dental implants. These patients may want to consider more traditional tooth replacement options like crown and bridge or partial and full dentures. Patients also need an adequate amount of bone density to support a dental implant, so those patients with significantly diminished jawbone density will need to consider bone tissue grafting or other procedures before implant placement.

 

Missing Single Tooth

When just one tooth is missing, a single titanium implant post is placed in the gap. Once the area around the tooth has healed and an abutment has been attached, we can restore the implant post with a fully personalized dental crown that is made out of lifelike tooth-colored materials.

 

Missing Multiple Teeth

Dental bridges can be attached to a pair of dental implants to replace three or more consecutive teeth at once. Using carefully placed implants to support a bridge means we won’t have to remove any enamel from your natural teeth to make room for your restoration.

 

Missing All of Your Teeth

Dental implants can be used to support an entire row of new teeth. A full denture can be attached to four to eight implant posts so that it remains anchored in the mouth without having to rely on natural suction. Implant dentures offer better chewing strength and stability than traditional dentures, and they can be brushed as if they were your natural teeth.

 

Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants

The exact cost of dental implants can vary. The number of implants and the type of restoration they support can have a significant impact on the price, and some patients will need to pay for separate preliminary treatments before they can have implants placed. You’ll be given an estimate of how much you can expect to pay for dental implants during your initial consultation. Bear in mind that while dental implants have a higher cost than traditional bridges and dentures, they also have longer lifespans and won’t need to be replaced as often.