Dental Implants

What Are Dental Implants?

A dental implant is an artificial replacement for a missing tooth root. The implant itself is a small titanium post carefully placed into the jawbone, where it acts as a stable foundation for a tooth prosthesis, such as a crown, bridge, or denture. Dental implants function much like natural teeth, providing a secure, long-lasting, and esthetically pleasing solution for missing teeth.

Unlike traditional bridges or dentures, dental implants integrate directly with the bone through a process known as osseointegration. This unique process ensures that the implant remains stable, while also helping to preserve the bone in your jaw, preventing bone loss that often occurs with missing teeth.

Why Choose a Periodontist for Dental Implants?

Periodontists receive specialized training in the health of your gums, bone, and supporting structures—critical factors in the long-term success of dental implants. At Lightfoot Periodontics, our extensive training in implantology and experience allow us to handle procedures ranging from single tooth implants to the most complex cases.

When additional procedures, such as bone grafting or sinus lifts, are necessary to ensure a stable foundation for your implants, you can trust that you are in the hands of true experts. Our team has successfully placed thousands of dental implants, and we are committed to optimizing your implant success at every stage of treatment.

Benefits of Implants

• Bone Preservation: Dental implants preserve existing bone and prevent further bone loss, which can occur after losing teeth. By integrating with the jawbone, implants stimulate healthy bone growth and maintain your facial structure.

• No Impact on Adjacent Teeth:Dental implants are self-supporting and do not affect neighboring teeth, unlike traditional dental bridges, which require altering healthy adjacent teeth.

• Long Lasting: With proper care, dental implants can last many years, making them a reliable long-term solution for missing teeth. They are designed to provide lasting function and comfort.

• Fixed: Implants are securely anchored in the jaw, just like natural teeth. Unlike dentures, which can slip or require removal for cleaning, implants remain fixed in place, providing stable and consistent function.

• Excellent Functionality: Dental implants look, feel and function just like your natural teeth. They restore full chewing ability, allowing you to enjoy a variety of foods. Implants improve speech, eliminating the slurring or clicking that can occur with dentures. When used to support dentures, implants provide better stability and comfort.

• Boost in Confidence: Implants are custom designed to resemble your natural teeth, providing you with a seamless and esthetically pleasing smile that is sure to keep you confident.

Are Dental Implants Just Like Natural Teeth?

For the millions of Americans who are predicted to lose their teeth due to decay or periodontal disease, dental implants can dramatically improve both their appearance and their quality of life. Dental implants are a natural-looking, permanent solution for replacing missing teeth. They offer a more realistic look and feel than traditional dentures, with the added bonus of being able to last a lifetime. Our team offers dental implants for patients who have lost a single tooth, multiple teeth, or even all their teeth, as well as provide support for dental bridges and dentures.

The 4-Step Dental Implant Process

• Initial Dental Implant Consultation – Your periodontist will inspect your smile and determine if dental implants can be used to restore your missing teeth. Patients must have enough jawbone density and also have healthy gums to receive implants; certain preliminary procedures can often be completed to ensure this candidacy.
• Dental Implant Surgery – Our team can complete the entire dental implant process in-house in addition to any preliminary procedures you may need beforehand. This means you will be working with the same team throughout the entire process. As for the surgery itself, it’s straightforward and not outright painful thanks to a local anesthetic.
• Dental Implant Osseointegration/Abutment – Once they’ve been placed, your implants will need a few months to heal. This part of the process, referred to as osseointegration, is crucial. Once they’re ready, we can call you back in to deliver your abutments, which go on top of the posts.
• Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s) – You’ll return to your general dentist to receive a custom-made restoration that attaches to the implants via the abutments.

Our Dental Implant Services

Whether you’re missing one tooth or several, the team at Lightfoot Periodontics is here to guide you through the process of restoring your smile with dental implants. We offer a range of services to meet your needs, including:

• Single Dental Implants - A simple and effective solution for replacing a single missing tooth

• Multiple Dental Implants - Ideal for replacing several missing teeth, offering a secure, stable solution for larger gaps

• Full Arch Dental Implants [All-On-X] - A comprehensive solution for replacing an entire arch of missing teeth, providing stability and function for a complete smile restoration

• Implant-Retained Dentures - A type of denture that is securely anchored to dental implants, providing a more stable and comfortable fit than traditional dentures

Advanced Dental Implant Procedures

During your initial consultation, one thing that your periodontist will mention is if you need to undergo a preliminary procedure to get your mouth ready for hosting dental implants. He can carefully assess your oral health and structures, and based on this information, determine if you need one of the following advanced dental implant procedures:

Bone Grafting

Bone grafting is a common solution for those who have lost bone density in their jaw due to prolonged tooth loss as well as advanced gum disease. It’s necessary to enhance the thickness of your jawbone, which will allow it to fully support and integrate the titanium posts. Bone tissue, either from another part of you or from a donor, is reallocated to specific areas of the jawbone and used to fortify it. Though it may sound intimidating, it’s a fairly straightforward procedure, though it does take a few months to recover before you can undergo implant placement.

Sinus Lifts

Also sometimes referred to as a sinus augmentation, a sinus lift is needed when there’s not enough bone between your jaw and your maxillary sinuses, which are located on either side of your nose. This is usually needed when molar or premolars in the upper jaw are being replaced by implants. Essentially, the sinuses are moved slightly to make room for the implant posts. Like bone grafts, your body will need to heal before the implant posts can be placed.