By Arthur Kezian

Before you learn about something, it is important to cover the basics. So, for dental implants, the basics start from a simple question – what is a dental implant? A dental implant, just like any other implant, replaces a part of your body with something that looks or acts just like it. Dental implants replace your teeth; they provide a strong, natural looking tooth as well as a brighter, whiter smile. If you have a missing tooth, you should look into dental implants. Mentioned below are reasons why implants are beneficial followed by the procedure of a dental implant.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are helpful for people who have missing teeth or have a tooth that needs to be extracted. They boost up self esteem, especially for those who have had missing teeth for a while, and they make you feel comfortable with your smile. Apart from their physical appearance and the benefits that provides, implants also help you chew better and improve your speech (if you have missing teeth). Dental implants vary in success rates because everyone’s body is different. Generally speaking though, implants have a very high success rate. Patients who receive implants are so thankful that they can smile the way they used to. It’s amazing how much of a difference a smile can make!

The Procedure:

Once you’ve had a consultation with your dentist and have come up with a treatment plan, you are ready to start your implant procedure. During the first visit, the actual implant is placed into the socket of your bone where your missing tooth used to be. The implant is a small post usually made of titanium. This implant is left alone until the jawbone heals around it, giving it more structural support. As the bone grows around the implant it secures its place (the healing process is very important). The healing process depends on the person, but it usually takes around 2-3 months.

Once the implant is secured into the jawbone, you are ready for the second step. A small post that is used as a connector is attached to the implant. This is called the abutment and helps hold the new tooth that is going to be placed on it. The new tooth that is going to be used is going to be a crown. Everything after the abutment is basically a crown procedure. Your implant dentist will take impressions of your bite to create a model from it. This model is sent off to a lab where your new crown will be made to match your existing teeth. The crown is made very precisely taking shape, color, texture, and size into consideration; this is done to make the dental implants look as natural as possible.

When your crown is ready, your dentist will place it onto the abutment and adjust your bite to make sure it is not high or rough. This is basically the last step of the procedure. You then have a new tooth added to your smile and can feel more confident about smiling and laughing.

As far as keeping the dental implants under good condition, you have to treat it just like you would any other crown or your other teeth. You must brush and floss to keep it clean as well as keep up with your regular dental check-ups with your dentist to make sure the implant is doing fine.

If you have any questions or concerns about dental implants, contact Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS. He and his staff will be delighted to answer your questions and help you in every which way. Dr. Kezian has done many implant cases and with a quick consultation he can let you know if you are a good candidate. Call his office today; what do you have to lose?

Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777