Dental Implants
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Alexandria Total Dentistry
General & Cosmetic Dentistry located in Alexandria, VA
You may consider missing teeth to be a cosmetic problem that affects your smile and erodes your confidence, but lost teeth can also have serious oral health consequences, including an increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease. If you’re missing one or more of your teeth, Daniel J. Lee, DMD, and Steven J. Lee, DDS, of Alexandria Total Dentistry in Alexandria, Virginia, provide comprehensive dental implantation services for patients in the greater Washington, D.C., area. Call or book an appointment online to learn more about how dental implants can restore your smile and preserve your long-term oral health.
Dental Implants Q & A
What are dental implants?
Dental implants, or custom-fitted artificial tooth roots made from medical grade titanium, are one of the most popular cosmetic and restorative dentistry offerings. Besides being strong, stable, and permanent, they also match your natural teeth perfectly, making them an excellent choice for filling gaps and restoring your smile.
Implants are surgically anchored into your jawbone, much like a real tooth root. After implantation, the artificial root fuses with your jawbone. Once the fusion process is complete and the surrounding tissues have healed, the implant can be fitted with a custom-crafted dental restoration.
A single implant receives a porcelain crown, multiple implants are usually fitted with a bridge, and a full-arch replacement typically receives an implant overdenture.
The team at Alexandria Total Dentistry use BioHorizons® implants, which have an average success rate of over 99% and come with a lifetime guarantee.
Are dental implants right for me?
For implant surgery to be successful, you need sufficient bone mass and healthy gums. If your jawbone is both strong enough and deep enough to support an implant, and if you don’t have any significant health problems, you should be able to get dental implants without having to undergo any additional procedures like bone grafting or sinus augmentation.
To make sure you have adequate bone quality and mass for successful implantation, you need to have a cone beam CT scan, a special X-ray that creates a 3D image of your teeth, soft tissues, nerves, and bones.
These images uncover important details about your bone structure, which helps the team at Alexandria Total Dentistry determine the size and type of implant you’ll need, and exactly how it should be placed during the procedure.
What is implant surgery like?
Dental implant surgery is an in-office procedure performed under local anesthesia. If you require one or more tooth extractions, your dentist will gently remove those teeth and prepare the area for implantation.
Next, they’ll surgically place the artificial tooth root in your jawbone and stitch your gum tissue closed. This helps protect the implant as it fuses with your jawbone.
The amount of time between receiving the implant and completing the restoration depends on how quickly your body heals. The team at Alexandria Total Dentistry can tell you what kind of time frame you should expect.
Once the implant is fused and you’re ready for the next step, you’ll return to the office to receive your custom-made porcelain crown, bridge, or denture.
To learn more about how you can benefit from dental implants, call the office today or schedule an appointment using the online booking feature.
