Dental Implants

Dental Implants : It’s your turn to smile.

More than 36 million adults in the U.S. don’t have any teeth and at least 120 million Americans are missing a tooth. If you fall into this category due to periodontal disease, an injury, or some other reason. dental implants could be the long term, aesthetic solution you’ve been looking for.

What are Dental Implants?

Dental Implants are artificial tooth roots—made out of titanium—that provide a permanent base for replacement teeth. Over time, the titanium implant fuses to the living bone in your jaw making a strong and durable anchor. The implant is made up of three unique parts:

The implant is a titanium screw that is permanently attached to your jaw.
The abutment is a permanent (but removable) connector for your tooth or teeth and the implant.
The crown is the prosthetic tooth or teeth and is the only part of the implant you can see.

Image showing the titanium implant that screws securely into the jaw bone.

Whether replacing a single tooth or a full set, dental implants are the preferred choice for long-lasting, natural looking, and comfortable smiles.

At Christiana Pleasant Dental we place all our implants through a guide that we fabricate based on a 3D scan of your jaw (CBCT). This is known as guided surgery and is the safest and most predictable way of placing dental implants. It results in less bleeding, shorter surgery time, and placing each implant with the utmost precision resulting in a beautiful life-like tooth. It also allows us to map any nerves, and sinus cavities within the jaw and avoid them during surgery which greatly decreases any risks associated with implant surgery.

Benefits of Dental Implants

Better Aesthetics - Since implants are placed in the gum similar to the way a natural tooth is supported, they offer a more realistic and natural look compared to other alternatives.
Reduction of Bone Resorption - When you lose a tooth, the supporting bone structure gradually recedes over time. If left untreated, this bone resorption can lead to the loss of additional teeth and a “sunken” appearance of facial features. Placing an implant in that empty space significantly reduces the speed of bone resorption and provides stability for this valuable tissue.
Retention - If you’ve ever experienced having removable full or partial dentures, you know what a challenge it can be to keep them in place. Because dental implants are secured to a titanium screw in the jaw, there are no problems eating or chewing and you can smile wide with confidence.
Preserving the Natural Tooth Structure - Often the preferred method of replacing a single missing tooth is a bridge. Bridges require extra preparation for the surrounding teeth to ultimately connect 3 or more teeth. This makes retaining your teeth more difficult and often requires the destruction of existing tooth structure to create room for the new bridge. An implant is a mostly independent unit and does not negatively affect the adjacent teeth.

Actual patient case study showing the location and information about the dental implant.

Are dental implants right for you?

While dental implants are an ideal solution for most people, our dentists will evaluate your case and tell you if you are a candidate for this procedure. Most patients with adequate bone mass can have implants, although it varies among individuals. Typically an x-ray and CT-scan are performed to determine if you have enough bone to place the implant, as well as to verify the size and kind of implant that should be placed.