Dental Implants
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First Impression Dental Fresno
General Dentist & Cosmetic Dentist located in Fresno, CA
If you’ve lost one or more teeth, dental implants can restore your natural smile and give you back your confidence. At First Impression Dental in Fresno, California, Brett P. Lent, DDS provides dental implants to men and women. To see if you’re a candidate for dental implants, request an appointment at First Impression Dental by calling the office today.
Dental Implants Q & A
Why replace missing teeth?
If you're missing teeth, there are numerous reasons to replace them with dental implants. Some of the reasons are practical, while others are more cosmetic.
Bone loss begins immediately when you lose a tooth, even though you don’t realize it. Each tooth is surrounded by alveolar bone that supports the tooth. When you lose a tooth, that bone begins to melt away. Bone loss explains the caved-in facial appearance among people who've lost most of their teeth and aren't wearing dentures.
Besides causing immediate damage to your bone, tooth loss affects surrounding teeth as well. Your teeth create a structure for your face, and losing one or more teeth shifts the surrounding teeth, creating bite problems and other issues.
In addition, a lost tooth may affect facial structures, such as your jaw joints and muscles. After losing several teeth, it’s not uncommon to suffer from social consequences and find it difficult to eat normally.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are a permanent option to replace lost teeth. As the name suggests, implants are anchored into your jaw bone, just like natural teeth. Dental implants restore your dental function, reduce your risk of bone loss, and help keep your remaining teeth healthy.
How do dental implants replace my natural teeth?
A natural tooth is made of a root and crown. Dental implants are constructed of the same basic parts.
The difference is the dental implant is made of titanium. Titanium is a strong, time-tested material commonly used by surgeons for artificial joints.
What happens when I get dental implants?
An oral surgeon or periodontist first installs a small titanium implant in your jaw to replace the root of your tooth. Over time, your bone heals and grows around the dental implant. Your bone bonds to the titanium post, creating a strong foundation for artificial teeth.
When you come back to First Impression Dental for your next visit, Dr. Lent places a support post, known as an abutment, on the implant and then places a crown on top of the abutment.
If all of your teeth are missing, Dr. Lent discusses a variety of treatment options that can support replacement teeth to restore your healthy smile.
Find out more about regaining a natural-looking, lasting smile with dental implants. Call Dr. Lent at First Impression Dental Fresno or request a consultation online.
