dental implants

A dental implant is an ideal tooth restoration for people who are missing one or more teeth as a result of injury, periodontal disease, or any other reason. In our practice, Dr Gutierrez is skilled in the planning, surgical placement, restoration, and maintenance of dental implants. We have Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) capacity to 3D plan dental implants.

A dental implant is usually titanium post that that is surgically placed within your jawbone to take the place of the root of your tooth. Once the implant has integrated, or healed with the surrounding bone, we fabricate a replacement tooth that is attached to the post.  

While implants are typically more expensive than other methods of tooth replacement, they provide superior benefits:

• Stronger than natural teeth

• Long term solution and generally last 25+ years.

• Freedom to eat what and when you like

• More favorable approach than bridgework since they do not depend on neighboring teeth for support.

• Prevent bone atrophy and your other teeth from moving.

Implants are used for different situations:

Single Implants– replace a single tooth

Implant Supported Bridges– 1 or 2 implants are used to support a bridge that replaces multiple teeth.

All on 4 -Fixed Dentures– If you are missing a full arch of teeth and want something secure, this is a superior option. 4-6 implants are placed, and a full arch of teeth are screwed onto the implants.

Implant retained dentures – Implants are used to place support attachments that mate with a denture. The denture can be removed by the  patient from the mouth for easier cleaning and repair.

To receive implants, you need to have healthy gums and adequate bone to support the implant.  You must also be committed to excellent oral hygiene and regular dental visits as these are critical to the long-term success of dental implants.