Dental implants are fast becoming the preferred method for extracted or missing teeth. They are much more appealing to the patient than wearing a bridge. The upside to choosing a dental implant over a bridge is that you don’t have to worry about altering other teeth in order to have the implant in place. A bridge may require that. When you choose to have a dental implant done, the procedure will take place over a few months.
The Procedure
Stage 1
The first thing that we will do is put the implant in place. When we do this, we make a small incision into the gums and a screw will be put into place in the jawbone. Once the implant is placed, your gums will be sutured and let to heal. The healing time can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months. The reason that it takes so long is that we must be sure that your jawbone forms around the implant. Not to worry. A temporary crown can be put into place so that you can smile normally, speak, and chew.
Stage 2
After your implant has had time to heal, you would come back to our office and have an abutment placed onto the top of the implant. This will be the base of your brand new tooth. Once this is finished we will take an impression of the abutment and it’s position and this will be used to help create a replacement tooth that will fit your mouth perfectly! Your final visit will be when the one of a kind tooth is ready to be put into place. It only takes a short period of time to get used to the new tooth, it’ll soon feel just like you’ve always had it.
Veneers
A dental veneer can be used in cases where the teeth that you have leave a gap between them when your tooth is worn down too much, or to make crooked teeth appear straight without the use of orthodontics. They’re very thin shells that are placed over the teeth to improve their look. A veneer can change the length, shape, size, and color of the tooth that it’s covering. This is an option for patients that may not need as much dental work as they believe. A veneer is more cosmetic than a dental implant is. There are also a few options as to what kind of veneer is best suited for you. We will go over your options with you. Whatever your basic dental need, our team is here to help you.
At Downtown Seattle Dentists we believe that everyone deserves a beautiful smile so we work hard to make that happen! We cover Seattle and the South Lake Union area. Call us or use our website to make your appointment today!
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