Dental Implants

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are a type of oral prosthetic designed to provide a sturdy foundation for replacement teeth. In addition to restoring your smile, dental implants preserve your facial structure, boost your confidence, and improve your chewing, speaking, and biting abilities. 

Am I a good candidate for dental implants?

If you’re missing some or all of your permanent teeth, and you have healthy gums and jaws, you’re probably a good candidate for dental implants. However, you need to be healthy enough to undergo a routine dental procedure like an extraction or root canal. This is because oral surgery increases your risk of certain complications. 

Prior to dental implant treatment, your Yampa Valley Family Dentistry provider conducts a thorough dental and radiographic examination. Your dentist also reviews your health history and asks you a series of questions. 

If you’re living with a chronic condition like diabetes or high blood pressure, make sure to let your dentist know. These conditions won’t necessarily prevent you from getting dental implants, but they may make recovery more difficult. 

How are dental implants placed?

Getting dental implants usually takes a period of 6-12 months and a series of appointments. Though this may seem like a lengthy process or long-term commitment, it’s important to remember that with proper care, dental implants can last for decades. 

At your first appointment, your Yampa Valley Family Dentistry provider administers a local anesthetic to numb your tooth roots and gums. Once the anesthesia sets in, your dentist surgically places a series of small, metal anchors into the sockets of your missing teeth. 

After this procedure, you return home for a period of 3-6 months to recover. During the recovery period, your bone grows around the implants, fusing them to your jaw. 

Once your implants securely integrate with your jaw, you return to Yampa Valley Family Dentistry. At your second appointment, your dentist takes a series of digital impressions of your remaining teeth which are then sent to a laboratory that manufactures crowns, a bridge, or a pair of implant-supported dentures. 

After the dental lab completes your prosthetics, you return to Yampa Valley Family Dentistry for your final appointment. During this appointment, your dentist carefully attaches your crowns, bridge, or implant-supported dentures to their anchors, restoring your smile to its healthy, near-original condition.  

To learn more about the benefits of dental implants, make an appointment at Yampa Valley Family Dentistry today by calling the office or clicking the online booking tool.