Implant Dentistry

Replacing Missing Teeth With Dental Implants

If you're missing teeth, you're not alone. Tooth loss is a far more common problem than you think. In fact, studies show that 178 million people across the United States are missing at least one tooth, and 35 million are completely edentulous (missing all their teeth). Whether you have lost one tooth or multiple ones to gum disease, tooth decay, or a traumatic injury, the office of Kennedy Dentistry can help. We provide state-of-the-art care and offer the latest solutions to help patients reestablish complete, healthy, and beautiful smiles.

Dental implants for a smile that looks and feels completely natural!

Today, dental implants represent the most advanced system for the replacement of missing teeth. While conventional fixed bridges and dentures remain effective and satisfying ways to replace missing teeth, dental implants come the closest to replicating the look, feel, and function of a natural smile.

With dental implants, you can once again enjoy all your favorite foods and speak and smile with renewed confidence and ease. Because dental implants behave in much the same way as the roots of natural teeth, they provide unrivaled stability for the placement of a broad range of dental prostheses, including crowns and bridges up to a complete set of teeth. For patients who wear full dentures, dental implants provide the added stability and retention required to improve comfort and fit while preventing any embarrassing slippage.

If you are struggling with tooth loss and looking for the best solutions for the replacement of missing teeth, visit the office of Kennedy Dentistry to learn more about dental implants and all the state-of-the-art services we provide. At the office of Kennedy Dentistry, we take pride in creating beautiful and healthy smiles!

Dental implant basics

Dental implants are small, biocompatible surgical posts that behave in much the same way as the roots of natural teeth. Once placed and integrated with the surrounding bone, dental implants provide unparalleled support for single crowns, bridges, and dentures. As the most advanced method for the replacement of missing teeth, they offer satisfying, long-lasting, and functional solutions for rebuilding a complete smile.

Consider all the benefits

Whether you’re missing one tooth, multiple ones, or missing all your teeth, you can rebuild a complete and beautiful smile with dental implants! According to statistics, roughly 3 million people have already received dental implants, with that number increasing at a staggering rate of 500,000 per year! The soaring popularity of dental implants is attributed, in large part, to the numerous benefits they offer as compared with other methods of care.

While conventional fixed bridges and dentures provide effective and satisfying solutions for the replacement of missing teeth, dental implants offer several advantages over traditional methods of care:

• Dental implants come the closest to replicating the look, feel, and function of natural teeth.
• With precise placement, good oral hygiene, and routine care, dental implants can last for many years.
• Dental implants provide continued stimulation to the underlying bone to prevent the bone loss that occurs when teeth are missing while preserving natural facial contours.
• Since implants behave like natural teeth, there is no chance that they will slip or dislodge like removable dentures when speaking or eating.
• Dental implants make it possible to speak with ease and eat and taste all types of food with virtually no restrictions.
• Dental implants do not decay and will not develop cavities.
• Unlike a fixed bridge, dental implants do not require any preparation or crowning of teeth adjacent to the edentulous area.

The Most Versatile Solution for The Replacement Of Missing Teeth

Types of Dental Implants:

• Single-tooth implant

  When a single tooth is missing, a dental implant restored with a crown replicates a natural tooth in almost every way. It’s no longer necessary to fabricate a conventional three-unit bridge involving the preparation and crowning of any adjacent teeth. As a self-supporting and fully functional entity, a single tooth implant offers patients an excellent solution for reestablishing a complete and attractive smile.

• Implant-supported fixed bridges

  As used to replace two or more missing teeth, an implant-supported bridge preserves the integrity of the adjacent natural teeth while providing the ongoing bone stimulation needed to prevent bone shrinkage and maintain facial contours. Unlike a traditional fixed bridge to replace multiple missing teeth, an implant-supported bridge does not require the preparation and crowning of any adjacent natural teeth. Instead, it relies on a select amount of strategically placed dental implants to support all the crowns and replacement teeth needed.

• Full arch replacement with four or six Implants

  Serving as an alternative to full dentures, a complete set of replacement teeth supported by strategically placed implants successfully reestablishes a smile that looks, feels, and functions like a natural one. Unlike conventional dentures, this approach offers a fixed solution that’s both stable and non-removable. While eliminating the need for messy denture adhesives and having to take any dentures out to clean and sanitize them, it boosts confidence as one speaks, smiles, and chews. It also permits the immediate placement of an attractive set of temporary teeth, with a permanent set to follow once the implants become fully integrated with the surrounding bone.

• Implant-retained denture

  As the name implies, this type of denture attaches to a select number of strategically placed implants in the upper or lower jaw. These small surgical posts provide precise points of attachment for the overlying denture and add a significant measure of stability and retention. This added level of security enables one to smile, speak, and eat with greater confidence and ease.

Are dental implants right for me?

If you are wondering if you’re a candidate for dental implants, it’s easy enough to find out. At the office of Kennedy Dentistry, we’re not only happy to look at your smile, but we’ll also answer all your questions and explain your best options for dental implants. We treat every smile as unique and develop personalized treatment plans based on your medical and dental histories, current oral health, cosmetic expectations of care, lifestyle, and budget.

How are dental implants placed?

It’s essential to plan and meticulously execute every step in care, from initial treatment planning and the precise placement of dental implants all the way to the design, fabrication, and insertion of the final crowns, bridges, or dentures.

Surgery to place dental implants is typically considered a minor surgical procedure and performed on an outpatient basis. However, the exact extent of the procedure depends upon the type and number of dental implants and whether or not any additional procedures are required to prepare the supporting bone.

We view communication as a vital part of patient care. Before your dental implant procedure, we’ll discuss dental anesthesia, options for dental sedation, and provide detailed pre-op and post-op care instructions. You can count on our office to keep you well-informed every step of the way.

Once a dental implant gets placed, it takes a few months to integrate fully with the surrounding bone. While a few implant solutions allow placing a same-day temporary crown or bridge, others require waiting for complete healing and osseointegration (fusion with the surrounding bone) to place the permanent prostheses.

Why might I need a bone graft to get a dental implant?

According to clinical studies, dental implants have a demonstrated long-term success rate of well over 95%. However, the long-term stability and success of a dental implant depend upon the presence of sufficient bone at the time of placement. In cases of periodontal disease or following the extraction of a tooth, bone volume is often lost. By placing a bone graft in the extraction site, or prior to the placement of a dental implant, we can establish sufficient bone support for a sturdy and stable dental implant.

Let The Office Of Kennedy Dentistry Help You Rebuild A Beautiful Smile

Missing teeth do more than cause embarrassing gaps in your smile. For one thing, they can also affect your ability to speak or chew nutritious food with ease. By not replacing missing teeth, the adjacent ones can shift towards the space over time and change your bite and compromise the health of your smile in many ways.

With all of the advances in dental materials, technology, and treatment methods available today, it’s easier than ever before to replace missing teeth with the most natural-looking and aesthetically pleasing results of care.

At the office of Kennedy Dentistry, we’re pleased to offer leading solutions to improve your oral health and give you a smile you can feel confident sharing with the world. We give you back the complete smile you have lost and provide personalized solutions for all of your oral healthcare needs. To find out more about dental implants or schedule an appointment so that we can take a closer look at your smile, give us a call today.