Dental Implants

Living with an incomplete smile can take a significant toll on your quality of life. Missing teeth change your appearance and can also make it difficult to eat, drink, and speak normally. Plus, failing to replace a missing tooth can lead to malocclusion and the degeneration of the jawbone in addition to harming the health of neighboring teeth. Modern restorative dentistry offers several treatment options for replacing missing teeth. The most popular and beneficial treatment option is replacing missing teeth with dental implants. 

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are a type of dental prosthesis designed to permanently replace a missing tooth. Dental implants consist of three primary parts:

• Dental Implant Anchor - The implant anchor is a screw-like prosthetic device made of biocompatible metal. The anchor mimics a natural tooth's root system. The anchor is implanted directly into the jawbone and holds the replacement tooth securely in the mouth. 
• Dental Implant Abutment - The abutment is a biocompatible metal component of the dental implant that attaches the anchor to the dental crown. 
• Permanent Dental Crown - Custom-made with tooth-coloured porcelain, the dental crown is the only visible portion of the dental implant. It is designed to look, feel, fit, and work just like the patient's natural tooth. 

The Benefits of Dental Implants

Dental implants are by far the most natural-looking and feeling tooth-replacement treatment option available. Since they are implanted directly into the jawbone, dental implants fit securely and feel just like natural teeth. 

Additionally, dental implants are the only tooth-replacement option that helps to promote a healthy jawbone by stimulating the bone which triggers healthy bone generation. Without this much-needed stimulation, the jawbone deteriorates over time, changing a person's appearance and harming the health of neighboring teeth. 

Treatment Options With Dental Implants

Dental implants are also quite versatile in the treatment options they can offer. 

They can be used to:

• Replace teeth on a one-for-one basis
• Support a dental bridge to replace multiple, consecutive missing teeth 
• Support a denture to replace entire rows of missing teeth

Treatment Process: What to Expect When Getting a Dental Implant

The process of getting a dental implant involves several steps and months to complete. 

Consultation

The treatment process begins with a consultation and examination. During this appointment, we discuss the treatment process with the patient, examine the patient's mouth, and take diagnostic images that will help us design the patient's personalized treatment plan and help us determine whether or not the patient is a candidate for dental implants. 

Bone Grafting and Healing

If diagnostic images reveal that the patient does not have an adequate jawbone mass to support a dental implant, then the treatment process will begin with a bone graft surgery. This surgery requires a small incision in the gum tissues and the placement of a bone graft. Following the procedure, the patient will undergo a process of healing and bone generation. 

Implantation and Osseointegration

Once the patient's jawbone is robust enough to support an implant, we schedule another oral surgery to place the implant anchor into the patient's jawbone. After this procedure, the jawbone and anchor undergo a process of osseointegration and healing. 

Healing Collar Placement

Once healed, we have the patient return to our office for an examination. Depending on how the gum tissues heal around the implant anchor, we may need to make a small incision and place a healing collar around the top of the implant anchor to allow proper healing and access for the abutment placement. 

Abutment Placement and Healing

When the gum tissues are healed, we affix the abutment on top of the anchor. 

Dental Crown Placement

Finally, a permanent dental crown is attached to the abutment with dental cement or a screw attachment.

Are You a Candidate for Dental Implants?

In order to be a candidate for receiving dental implants, a patient must be healthy enough to undergo the treatment process (oral surgery).

Additionally, the patient must have relatively good oral health with no current signs of periodontal disease (gum disease) which could complicate the healing and recovery process. 

Patients must also be willing to refrain from smoking and limit alcohol consumption throughout the treatment process (and possibly after) to promote healthy gums and complication-free healing. 

Complete Smile Restoration With Our Dentist in Westmount, Quebec

If you are missing one or several teeth, you do not have to live with an incomplete smile. In addition to tooth replacement with dental implants, we offer a variety of restorative treatment options such as dental bridges, partial dentures, and full dentures that can replace your teeth and restore your smile to its full form and function. 

To learn more about restoring your smile or to find out if dental implants are right for you, we welcome you to contact our dental office in Westmount, Quebec to request a consultation today. 

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