Dental Implants Garner
A Modern Solution for Missing Teeth
Samia Family Dentistry is proud to provide exceptional dental implant care from single tooth replacement to full-mouth reconstruction. Dr. Paul Samia is a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, recognized as a premier implant dentist in Garner.
How Dental Implants Work
Losing a tooth can have a significant impact on your self-confidence and oral function. However, with single-tooth implants, you can restore your smile once and for all. Dental implants are titanium posts that act as artificial tooth roots. They are both durable and permanent, blending seamlessly with your natural teeth. Best of all, they are minimally invasive and help promote anti-aging capabilities associated with tooth and bone loss.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
The dental implant process involves multiple steps that can take several months to completely restore your bite. Fortunately, our team can perform every step of the way in the office, which means you won’t have to visit separate locations to get your treatment done. While every patient is unique, here are the four major stages of the dental implant process so that you know what to expect.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
During your initial consultation, Dr. Samia will evaluate your oral health and discuss your treatment goals. Our team will also assess your mouth for any underlying complications that could spell trouble in the future, such as gum disease, insufficient jawbone density, or an oral infection. If we’ve determined that you’re eligible for the dental implant process, and we’ve addressed any preliminary issues, we can begin preparing for your procedure. Using advanced imaging technology, such as 3D CT scans, we will create a detailed treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
Dental Implant Surgery
The implant placement procedure is typically performed under local anesthesia to ensure your comfort. Dr. Samia will then make a small incision in your gums and precisely position the implants into your jawbone, taking care to preserve the integrity of surrounding teeth and structures. Lastly, your gums will be sutured closed around the metal post, which will then be covered with a protective dental cap while you recover.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment
After the implants are placed, a healing period is required to allow the implants to fuse with the bone—a process called osseointegration. This will create a stable and lifelike foundation for your permanent restoration(s), that way you can enjoy new pearly whites that feel like natural teeth. Once you’ve recovered, you’ll return to us to receive your abutments—small metal pieces designed to connect your restorations to your implants.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)
When your implants are fully integrated, they should be structurally stronger than natural teeth. In the meantime, our team will be fabricating your replacement teeth to ensure they match your exact specifications. After you’ve fully healed, you’ll come back to our office for your final dental crown, bridge, or denture. We’ll verify that your results are to your liking and that your bite feels natural and comfortable. If all is well and you’re satisfied with your treatment, you’ll be set on your way to make the most of your new smile.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
Dental implants are both comprehensive and versatile when it comes to rebuilding missing teeth. Our team will first need to evaluate your oral health and review your unique situation before determining how we can help restore your smile with this treatment. Even if you aren’t currently a candidate for this service, we can help prepare your mouth with preliminary procedures. Keep reading to learn how dental implants can help replace your missing pearly whites.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
In most cases, a patient may be a good candidate for this tooth-replacement treatment if they have:
- Good oral health: Your mouth will need to be free of any underlying complications that could potentially risk implant failure, such as gum disease, decay, or infection.
- Great overall health: Since you’ll be undergoing minor oral surgery, your body will need to be able to heal properly after the procedure.
- Sufficient jawbone density: To support the dental implants, you’ll need to have adequate mass and volume in your jawbone. This will provide the optimal stability for long-lasting results.
For those who aren’t good candidates for dental implants, our team can still work with you to prepare your mouth. This may involve providing preliminary services like gum disease treatment, bone grafting, or even tooth extractions so that you can be ready to receive your metal posts.
Missing One Tooth
With single-tooth implants, you can regain the functionality and aesthetics of a missing tooth anywhere in your mouth. The implant will integrate with your jawbone over time, providing a long-lasting solution that looks, feels, and functions just like a natural tooth. Dr. Samia and our experienced team will ensure that your dental implant treatment is tailored to your specific needs, allowing your restoration to blend with your surrounding smile and stand independently of other teeth.
Missing Multiple Teeth
If you’re missing a few teeth in a row, we can provide you with an implant-supported bridge. However, unlike traditional ones that are supported by adjacent healthy teeth, we’ll connect the bridge to dental implants. This will allow your prosthetics to remain stable without affecting your natural pearly whites. For patients who are missing several teeth in different locations of the mouth, we’ll review options like placing multiple single implants or a partial implant denture.
Missing All Teeth
If you have an entire arch of missing teeth, our team may provide you with All-On-4 dental implants. This solution involves using four metal posts strategically placed in the thickest parts of the jaw to support your denture. These prosthetics will also be much simpler to care for compared to traditional dentures, and you might even qualify for a fixed one that can only be removed by a dental professional.
Dental Implant FAQs
Does Getting Dental Implants Hurt?
While every patient’s experiences and perceptions are different, dental implant surgery is relatively painless. Dr. Samia will use a local anesthetic to numb your mouth before your procedure begins, so you should only register some pressure from instruments. However, once the surgery is over, you may experience some soreness in your jaw once the numbness wears off.
This feeling should fade after a few days, but you can use pain medications like ibuprofen and press a cold compress against the area for relief. If the pain worsens after two to three days, schedule a follow-up appointment with our team.
What Can Cause Dental Implants to Fail?
While dental implant failure is very uncommon, it generally occurs due to either peri-implantitis or failed osseointegration. The first issue usually occurs due to poor oral hygiene and can damage the gum tissues and underlying bone, making it more difficult to heal. Failed integration is more uncommon, but generally happens when a patient doesn’t have sufficient bone density to support the implant fixture.
Other reasons your dental implants may fail include teeth grinding, smoking and vaping, uncontrolled diabetes, and other underlying health conditions that affect the healing process. These issues are why it’s so important to have a consultation with Dr. Samia before your surgery to minimize your risk of complications.
Am I Too Old to Get Dental Implants?
One of the great things about dental implants is their versatility. As long as you have a good bill of oral health and adequate jawbone to support the implant fixture, your age is just a number. The only problems that tend to arise more with senior patients are decreased healing capabilities and health issues.
Before your procedure, Dr. Samia will give you a thorough oral examination and look at your medical history. If there are any autoimmune disorders or decreased bone mass in your jaw due to gum disease, he will plan with you to address these issues before continuing with surgery.
Do Dental Implants Decay?
Dental implants are made with high-quality and durable ceramic material. Because it’s inorganic, it is unaffected by the acid produced by the bacteria in plaque. However, just because they can’t decay doesn’t mean that you should stop your oral hygiene routine. Bacterial plaque can also infect the gum tissue around the implant site. If left untreated, this can lead to gum disease which will inflame your gums and eventually lead to bone deterioration. This is one of the main ways that dental implants fail, even after successful surgery.