Dental Implants in Placentia

Dental implants consist of two main parts, the implant itself, and the restorative component. The implant is the screw-shaped titanium “post” that is placed directly into the jaw bone. The restoration is most often a custom-crafted prosthetic like a dental crown, and an abutment, which links the restoration and the implant together. Implant posts, on the other hand, come in various pre-made sizes, ensuring every patient gets an implant that fits their grin.

After your dental implant has been placed, your dentist will create impressions of your teeth and gums, using either putty or digital scans, and send them to a dental lab, where they will create a dental implant restoration that is made to last. Most restorations are crafted out of porcelain or a durable, natural-looking composite material. Once we receive your restoration, you’ll return to our Placentia office where your dentist will secure your dental prosthetic to your implant, completing the restoration.

When dental implants are placed properly, and kept up with good oral hygiene habits, they can last for decades. In fact, it’s common for patients to keep their implants for the rest of their lives.

On the other hand, although restorations like dental crowns and bridges are made from durable materials, the regular wear they endure from chewing and biting means that they will likely need to be replaced at some point to ensure your continued oral health.

Although rare, it is possible for dental implants to become infected. A condition known as “peri-implantitis,” an infected dental implant is most often a result of the implant not being cleaned or cared for correctly following oral surgery.

The best way to avoid the risk of peri-implantitis is to carefully follow your dentist’s instructions for recovery, and to keep up with good oral hygiene habits, like regular brushing and flossing, once your dental implant has healed.

Yes, and they’re the only dental restoration that does so. Bone loss, also known as bone resorption, occurs after losing a tooth, when your jaw stops being stimulated by the natural forces that come from chewing and biting, causing your jaw bone to weaken.

When a dental implant bonds directly with the jaw bone, it acts as an artificial root in that it effectively transmits the pressure of chewing and biting into your jaw bone, providing stimulation to keep your bone from losing density.

For some cases, there are several types of dental implants that can be completed in just one appointment. However, the restoration will be a temporary prosthetic to keep your bite functional and to protect the implant site until you’ve finished healing from the placement surgery. The temporary restoration ensures that you will be able to eat and speak normally during the healing process. 
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Healing usually lasts between 3-6 months, and during this time your dentist will schedule a series of follow-up visits. They will monitor your healing progress and take impressions of your teeth and gums, which will be sent to our dental lab. The lab will use these images to custom-craft your permanent restoration, a more durable, natural-looking prosthetic than your temporary one. Contact our office today to learn more about your dental implant options in Placentia and Yorba Linda.