Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley CA
Dental implants have become an increasingly popular way to replace missing teeth and restore a smile, but the process of getting them can sound a little scary and painful. After all, dental implants require our implant dentist in Santa Cruz to surgically insert an artificial, metal tooth root in the jawbone. We admit that doesn’t sound pleasant. The good news is that along with advancements in dental technology have come advancements in pain control measures that are used to make procedures like dental implants more comfortable. Today, let’s try to put your mind at ease a little about this revolutionary new way to restore a smile:
What are dental implants?
An estimated 36 million Americans have lost at least one permanent tooth and millions of others have teeth that are compromised because of damage or decay.
Implants are our Scotts Valley cosmetic dentist’s preferred way to replace teeth because they:
- Function like natural teeth
- Are permanent
- Improve facial structure
- Look like natural teeth
- Stop jawbone loss
What is involved in dental implant surgery?
Dental implants are completed in several steps.
Let’s take a look at some of them:
- Step 1: Bone grafting, if needed — Sometimes when a tooth is missing or needs to be removed, the the jawbone needs a bone graft to prepare it for surgery. This encourages the production of new bone, strengthening the jawbone to make sure the implant will properly fuse with the jawbone.
- Step 2: Surgery — Our Santa Cruz cosmetic dentist will drill a hole into the patient’s jawbone and insert a metal post. This serves as an artificial tooth root, stimulating the jawbone. In the next couple of months, the jawbone will need to fuse to the new tooth root in a process called osseointegration.
- Step 3: Abutment attachment — An abutment is a connector piece that we will add to the implant to later connect to the dental crown.
- Step 4: Crown attachment — We attach the custom-made crown, which is the part of the implant that people can see.
Our dentist will administer medications during the surgery to help you feel more comfortable. Once the anesthesia wears off, a patient can expect to feel some discomfort, but it’s mild enough that over-the-counter pain relievers are usually able to control it. Any discomfort should go away with 7-10 days.
DENTAL IMPLANTS IN SCOTTS VALLEY, SANTA CRUZ, AND LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA
Any procedure that is going to cause trauma to the gums and/or mouth will cause some level of discomfort, but our dental team is committed to making your experience as comfortable and pain-free as possible. If you have any questions about the dental implant procedure, give our office at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry a call at (831) 824-5111 or reach out to us online today.
