What Are Dental Implants in Federal Way WA

Sometimes the loss of a tooth or even a few teeth may happen to you or someone you know. There can be several reasons for this, but whatever the cause, it can affect not just your physical appearance, but even the way you speak and eat. One solution Marine Hills Dentistry offers to the issue of missing one or more teeth is a dental implant.

A dental implant in Federal Way WA is a more recent development in dental surgical procedures. It consists of a “screw,” usually titanium, that is surgically attached to your jawbone. After this procedure has been completed, the screw is given time to fuse with the jawbone. Since your body doesn’t create an immune response thanks to the biocompatible properties of titanium, nutrients continue to be sent to that part of the jawbone to retain both size and health.

Once proper fusion has occurred, a “crown” is applied to the screw, which is just a custom-designed artificial tooth that sits on the now very stable implant that is fused to your mouth. With this final step, the procedure is permanent, complete, and will not require any additional maintenance on your part aside from a sensible oral hygiene regimen of brushing and flossing to protect the rest of your teeth and gums.  Dental implants can be used to replace one or more missing teeth in your mouth.

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Who Can Use Dental Implants In Federal Way WA

Dental implants are an exceptional solution for replacing teeth lost due to tooth decay, gum disease, injury (when the tooth cannot be repaired), or failed root canal therapy. If the missing tooth’s gap is not addressed, it can allow the surrounding teeth to occupy that space and change how you eat, speak, or look. When a tooth is missing, the jawbone stops receiving any stimulation, and that area will begin to decline. A dental implant will prevent the harmful consequences of missing teeth. It will be just like having your natural teeth again, only better!

While the dental implant is a comprehensive and often ideal permanent solution to the problem of missing teeth, there are certain physical requirements people must meet to be considered suitable for this procedure.

Healthy gums and healthy teeth are both required for a dental implant to be successful. So, for example, heavy smokers that may be suffering from gum disease may be advised to quit smoking and allow the gums to heal properly before attempting the procedure.

On the other hand, people with insufficient bone in their jaw may still be suitable for the procedure if they want it. This may call for an additional procedure, known as “bone grafting,” to reinforce the jaw enough for the dental implant procedure to succeed.

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Benefits Of Dental Implants

Aside from restoring a tooth into an empty space for aesthetic reasons, there are many other sound health benefits for getting a dental implant replacement. Dental implants will improve your oral health since you won’t have to worry about bacteria accumulating underneath dentures or bridges or jawbone loss. Dentures can also cause speech to sound slurred if loose in the mouth, but dental implants also improve speech quality. Since implants are placed in the jawbone, they are as durable as natural tooth roots, and the replacement teeth placed on top of these metal posts are secure and permanently attached.

CLICK HERE for more information regarding the benefits of getting a dental implant.

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The Dental Implants Process

The first step is determining your suitability for dental implants based on a few criteria. Dr. Dennis Hahn will discuss the procedure during your consultation, including the required number of implants, the possible treatment duration, and expenditure.

The next step is the placement of the implant stud into the jawbone. Before starting the implantation, local anesthesia is administered to make you comfortable. Once the affected area is numb, we will insert the metal stud in your jawbone and suture the incision.

The implant will fuse to the jawbone over the next few months and create a solid base for the prosthetic crown. Once your jaw heals, we will attach the abutment to the dental implant and top it up with a crown restoration.

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If you’re interested in getting dental implants, the first crucial step is an examination by our Federal Way WA dentists to determine the health of your gums and your jaw. If you are a suitable candidate for a dental implant, you can move on to the next steps and go about getting one of the most comprehensive tooth replacement techniques available today. Contact our team at Marine Hills Dentistry today for more information.