Dental Implants
A titanium post that replaces the root, and a crown on top of it that replaces the tooth.
Request a consultWhen a tooth is gone, the bone that held it has nothing left to do. An implant replaces the root first, then the tooth.
Before anything is scheduled, the jaw is scanned. A cone beam CT scan is a type of computerized tomography that shows a 3D image of your jaw’s anatomy. This is especially useful when your dentist is planning implant treatment. The cone beam shows an enhanced image which allows absolute precision and allows for a more predictable placement of the implant.
Dr. Moradian plans the implant position on that scan before you agree to anything. You see the same image he does: where the bone is thick enough, where the nerve and the sinus sit, and where the post has to go so the crown lines up with the teeth either side. Nothing is booked until the plan and its cost are in front of you.
Who it suits
- Missing one tooth
- Enough bone to hold a fixture
- Gums treated first
- Not currently smoking
An implant suits a single missing tooth when the jaw still holds enough bone for the fixture and the gums are healthy. The consult reads bone height and width from the cone beam scan, the position of the nerve and the sinus, and the way the teeth either side meet. Gum disease and decay in the neighboring teeth are treated before surgery is booked, because an implant placed into an untreated mouth is an implant placed at risk. Smoking is discussed for the same reason, since it works against healing at the bone.
What happens, step by step
Consult
Dr. Moradian examines the gap, the teeth either side and the gums, and says whether an implant is the right answer before anything is scheduled.
Imaging
A cone beam CT scan shows a 3D image of your jaw's anatomy, which allows a more predictable placement of the implant.
Placement
The site is numbed with local anesthetic and the titanium post is placed in the bone, in the position the scan planned.
Restoration
Once the bone has healed around the post, an impression goes to the dental lab and the crown is fitted on top and checked against your bite.
Questions
Why not just leave the gap?
It is not advisable to leave a gap because other teeth will move out of alignment and fill the space. It may also be uncomfortable to chew and have aesthetically undesirable effects.
How is an implant different from a bridge?
A dental bridge fills the gap between healthy teeth or implants, and is attached to crowns on the teeth either side. An implant stands on its own in the bone and leaves the neighboring teeth untouched.
Is the placement painful?
The site is numbed with local anesthetic, so the placement itself is felt as pressure rather than pain. The appointment runs like a long dental visit. Soreness for a few days afterwards is normal and settles with over-the-counter pain relief.
How long does the whole thing take?
Placement and the final crown are separate visits, with healing time in between while the bone grows around the post. How long that takes depends on the site and on whether bone had to be added first, so Dr. Moradian sets out the schedule for your own case at the consult.
What does it cost?
Cost depends on how many implants are placed, whether the site needs bone added first, and what goes on top. The consult ends with an itemized quote for your own case, before anything is scheduled.
How long does an implant last?
The post is made to stay in the bone for good. What decides it is the gum around it, so an implant is brushed, flossed and checked like a natural tooth. Implants that lose the bone around them lose it the way teeth do, through gum disease left untreated.
Replace missing teeth
A gap does not stay a gap. The teeth either side lean into it, and the bone that held the root starts to shrink.
Start with a consult.
A look at the teeth and gums you have, a scan when implants are on the table, and the options laid out in plain language before anything is booked.