If you need a tooth extraction or have already lost teeth due to damage or decay, dental implants in Cerritos are a great solution. Missing teeth can cause damage to your oral and general health, which can lead to painful complications like infections. Your Cerritos dentist wants to help you avoid this eventuality by providing the very best dental care – including high-quality dental implants – in Southern California.
Dental implants replace missing teeth while closely resembling natural teeth.
A single implant includes three parts: a titanium post (or screw), an abutment, and a crown.
Your Cerritos dentist puts the post into the jawbone, where it becomes permanently integrated into the bone and acts as the root of a tooth. An abutment is placed on the post and a dental crown is attached to the abutment. The crown is the part you can see in the mouth. It allows the implant to look and function like a natural tooth.
The crown is cemented onto the abutment for added stability. However, it’s important to avoid sticky foods as these can cause the crown to come off.
Single-tooth implant treatment is used when the patient has lost one tooth due to trauma, deep dental decay, a failed root canal, or from periodontal disease. This is the most common type of dental implant.
Implants aren’t just an option for people missing a single tooth. Patients who are missing a few teeth in a row or even all their teeth can benefit from multiple dental implants.
If you have healthy gums and jawbone, your Cerritos dentist can place multiple dental implants to replace each missing tooth. Another option is to fabricate an implant bridge in which two implants are placed and a bridge is made. The two abutment crowns on the bridge fit over the implants, while in the middle of these two crowns is a fake tooth (pontic) to fill the space between the two implants.
The benefits of placing multiple implants or an implant bridge instead of a removable partial denture include:
If you’re missing all your teeth, your dentist can use the All-on-4 dental implant system, which uses four implants to support a full denture. We recommend implant-supported dentures because they:
Dental implants are great if you have one or more missing teeth or need to have a tooth removed. They work for adolescents and adults once the jawbone has fully formed. You may want implants if you’d like a permanent solution that looks and functions like real teeth.
We recommend them for patients who are concerned with:
Dental implants restore missing teeth while looking, feeling, and functioning like natural teeth. Dental implants in Cerritos can improve confidence, comfort, eating, talking, and appearance. Also, they improve oral health by maintaining the jawbone structure and the health of neighboring teeth. They are fixed in place and can last a lifetime.
A dental implant involves surgery, which has potential risks, including:
Other uncommon risks include:
Before investing in dental implants in Cerritos, talk to our dentist about possible risks. Some lifestyle changes (stopping smoking, for example) can help reduce these risks.
In rare cases, the implant doesn’t integrate into the jawbone or otherwise fails. Overall, though, dental implants are successful and long-lasting. You can increase the chances of success by following the recovery plan from our dentist and caring for your new implants properly, including visiting your Cerritos dentist for regular dental checkups.
Yes, many patients request some sort of sedation for implant surgery in addition to local anesthetic to numb the gum tissue and bone.
Sedation options include conscious sedation with nitrous oxide or oral medications, as well as intravenous general anesthesia.
Generally, dental implants require multiple stages. If needed, our dentist removes the damaged tooth. Then, an incision is made into the gum tissue and the implant is surgically placed into the jawbone. It takes four to six months for the bone and tissue to heal and for the implant to integrate into the bone.
Once you’re healed, your Cerritos dentist will create a small incision in the gum tissue to access the implant. A temporary abutment called a healing abutment is placed, allowing the gum tissue to heal while still providing access to the implant.
After about 10 days of healing, you’ll visit your dentist again so they can get a model of the implant and permanent abutment. The model is used to fabricate a custom crown. Once that is done, the permanent abutment is screwed into place and the crown is cemented onto the abutment.
The actual surgery takes approximately one to two hours for each implant that needs to be placed.
Then, you have four to six months of healing time, followed by around two weeks of healing after your dentist exposes the implant.
Any type of surgery can result in some pain and discomfort. However, we will do our best to keep you as comfortable as possible. You shouldn’t experience any pain during the surgery since you’ll be numb and sedated.
After the procedures, you might experience some:
Your Cerritos dentist can recommend pain medications and may prescribe antibiotics to take after surgery to prevent infection. Eating soft foods, using ice packs, and rinsing with warm salt water can ease some of the discomfort during the healing process.
After implant surgery, you may be prescribed pain medication. You may have a temporary crown or bridge that will require certain precautions. Our dentist will give you guidelines to follow during recovery that include restrictions on eating and drinking, dos and don’ts, and what to expect.
Dental implants allow you to eat more normally than other options such as dentures. Nonetheless, you will have certain restrictions during the recovery process. For example, you will need to avoid overly hot foods and eat pureed or soft foods at first.
The initial check-up happens about three weeks post-surgery. It’s important to see your dentist for regular dental visits (every three, four, or six months depending on your needs) to evaluate the health of your implant, the rest of your teeth, your jawbone, and your gum tissue.
Your Cerritos dentist will provide care instructions after surgery that will help the healing process.
After your implant crown is placed, you should practice proper oral hygiene, just as you would for your natural teeth. This includes proper brushing and flossing as well as regular dental checkups and cleanings.
For a full list of our dental implant specials and pricing, please speak to one of our expert treatment coordinators who will assist you in finding the most affordable dental implant plan.
In most cases, your dental insurance will not cover the cost of dental implants, although it may help with the cost of crowns or extractions. Insurance companies generally consider dental implants in Cerritos to be an elective procedure, despite it being helpful for oral health and function.
If you’re ready to restore your missing teeth, dental implants are your best bet. They are made of strong materials and integrate into the jawbone making them just as strong (if not stronger) as your natural teeth. They help prevent jawbone loss, protect your remaining teeth, and help you chew your food with ease.
Besides that, they look great! They are one of the most natural-looking restorative options we provide.
Dental Implants Look, Feel, And Function Like Your Natural Teeth
If you’re interested in learning more about dental implants, contact us to schedule a consultation with your Cerritos dentist.
CALL (562) 414-5064
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