Dental impants in Cambridge
What do you do if your smile is missing a few teeth or has been otherwise damaged? Wearing removable dentures is not comfortable and they never fit properly. Likewise, dental bridges are tough to clean and can be a real headache. Are you looking for a better way to repair your smile? Contact our Cambridge dental office for a consultation about what we can do to repair your smile with dental implants.
Dental implants - What are they?
Our dental implants are anchored into your jawbone (like natural teeth) and function as anchors for crowns (artificial teeth) that will restore proper function of your teeth. The dental implants (titanium anchors) take the place of your natural roots if these are broken or missing for whatever reason.
Am I a candidate for dental implants?
If you’ve given thought to fixing your teeth and restoring function, then dental implants have likely come up in your research or discussions. While many of our patients can benefit from dental implants, there are some criteria that will help determine if implants are an option for you. For dental implants to work successful, a patient’s health must be good overall, their gums must be healthy and the jawbone structure must have enough bone remaining that the dental implant post can be securely attached. Unfortunately this is not always the case, as sometimes there has been too much jaw bone degradation (due to tooth loss or gum disease) that there just isn’t enough bone available. In these cases, patients must first have their jawbone restored through bone graft surgery. This is why anyone who could benefit from dental implants must first undergo an examination including x-rays and a consultation.
How do our teeth whitening treatments work?
At Canamera dentistry in Cambridge, our teeth whitening treatments use fitted bleach splints for topical whitening. The process begins with a consultation meeting, where we inspect your teeth and mouth to ensure the procedure can be performed safely and will deliver the expected results. Once we’ve determined what your smile requires, the process can begin. For mild to moderate staining, custom fitted bleach splints are the likely option, whereas for heavily stained teeth we may recommend veneers, crowns or bonding to fix the look of your smile.
Regardless of which procedures are recommended, our teeth whitening treatments can roll back the years and restore the beauty of your smile.
The many benefits offered by dental implants
Dental implants from our Cambridge office could solve your oral health problems.
• Implants offer ideal, permanent support for artificial teeth
• Implants can support single or multiple artificial teeth without harming adjacent natural teeth
• Dental implants are a permanent tooth-loss solution and provide a secure platform with none of the slipping or instability often experienced with removable dentures.
• The attached artificial teeth look and function like natural teeth without the risk of sensitivity or cavities.
• A full dental implant procedure will restore full chewing and speech function as well as undo facial sagging caused by tooth loss.
• Dental implants are just like your natural teeth but better, helping restore your confidence and your willingness to smile.
Step-by-step guide to dental implants
1. Dental implant is secured
At our Cambridge dentist office, the procedure for dental implants begins by surgically installing a titanium post (the implant) into a patient’s jawbone. Patients will be sedated to maintain comfort and keep them pain-free throughout the surgery.
2. Letting the jawbone heal & regenerate
Once the dental implant is inserted, the healing period of roughly three months can commence. At this time, osseointegration happens, which is when your jawbone grows around the implant to fix it securely into the bone as if it were a natural tooth’s root. Once the healing has taken place, a solid anchoring place for artificial teeth will have been created.
3. Placement of an abutment
Once the jawbone and gums are healed, it’s time to place an abutment. The abutment is an attachment secured to the implant post, allowing an artificial tooth to be fixed in place. This requires minor surgery to open a small incision into the sealed-over gum to secure the abutment. Local anesthetic is required, as is another (although shorter in duration) healing period.
4. Installing the crown (artificial tooth)
Once the second healing process is complete, patients will have a secured implant with an abutment attached. This means they are ready for the final step – attaching an artificial tooth (crown). The crown is custom moulded using an impressive cast made during healing. Each crown is made to fit perfectly and look aesthetically aesthetically to match any teeth remaining in your smile for a natural look. After this step is complete, you’ll be the owner of a better-than-new smile that’s yours to show off.