Dental Implants in Scottsdale, AZ
The entire team at Scottsdale Cosmetic Dentistry Excellence understands and appreciates the frustration and other difficulties that come with missing teeth. Our focus is on enhancing your smile in an attractive and healthy way. If you are seeking an effective way to replace your missing teeth permanently, then dental implants at our Scottsdale office are an exciting option. Restorative dentist Dr. Jeffrey D. Clark uses the latest in dental technologies to customize the shape, size, and even color of your dental implant crown. That allows your implants to blend seamlessly with your remaining teeth and thus appear natural. Better yet, implants are unable to move or slip because they are permanently fused by the process of osseointegration to your jawbone!
What Is a Dental Implant?
The first dental implant was developed in the early 1950s by the Swedish orthopedist Per-Ingvar Brånemark. He is often recognized as the father of modern implantology due to that achievement but also the decades of research into the field that would follow. The modern implant is now the standard by which all tooth replacement options are measured, and the implant that you would have placed by an implantologist in Scottsdale is far more advanced than Brånemark’s original innovation. A modern dental implant is a titanium post that is inserted into the jawbone and then allowed to bond with it over a period of several months through the process known as osseointegration. This fused post serves as the root for the lost tooth and is able to provide the support needed by an artificial tooth or a bridge. This mimics a natural tooth because the support is local to the replaced tooth rather than rely on nearby structures.
What Is the Dental Implant Procedure Like?
Implant placement is a specialized dental procedure and requires intricate planning prior to the procedure. The team at Scottsdale Cosmetic Dentistry Excellence uses the CEREC Primescan intraoral scanner along with Galileos 3D cone beam imaging technology to determine the exact ideal location for placement. This lets us fabricate surgical guides in-office that allow for precise dental implant placement with the utmost accuracy.
During your appointment, the doctor will place a titanium post into your jawbone. Titanium is strong and long-lasting, and it will not corrode or otherwise break down over time. Titanium is also biocompatible, which means that your body will not reject it but rather accept it and grow bone around it. The post provides a strong anchor for a permanent dental crown, which is the visible portion of the dental implant. But the crown cannot be installed right away. The implant must undergo osseointegration, which is the fusion of the jawbone with the titanium implant post. When osseointegration is complete, the implant is a permanent part of your mouth, just like your teeth. Osseointegration can take a few months for optimal stability and support, however Dr. Clark will place a temporary crown on top of the implant in the meantime as healing occurs. He will also recommend what to avoid when eating and drinking in order to make the healing process as fast and efficient as possible.
Once the healing is complete and the implant is secure, Dr. Clark will create a customized same day crown at our Scottsdale office using a CEREC milling unit. The dental crown will be shaped and colored to match and blend seamlessly with your existing teeth. We will also arrange periodic checkups in order to monitor the implant and ensure your health.
Which Dental Implant Options Are Available?
At Scottsdale Cosmetic Dentistry Excellence, Dr. Clark offers replacement options to help you achieve beautiful and long-lasting results:
- Single-Tooth Implants. These implants replace a single tooth and are designed to restore smile integrity with a natural look and feel. An implant functions like a natural tooth. It requires no special maintenance, and patients can brush, floss, and rinse just as they normally would.
- Implant Bridges. Implant bridges are an option when you are missing several teeth in a row. Traditional dental bridges are supported by the nearby teeth, but an implant bridge is supported by a titanium post or even multiple posts. This kind of bridge is a good option for patients who may not be suitable candidates for a single-tooth implant to account for all of their missing teeth.
- Implant-Supported Dentures. Implant-supported dentures are an option for replacing a full arch of teeth. The benefit here is that the dentist can secure the dentures without pastes or adhesives. Slippage, which is a common issue with older style dentures, is eliminated. Implant-supported dentures are an option for candidates who do not have the bone density for a full set of single-tooth implants.
What Are the Benefits of Dental Implants?
Some benefits that you’ll enjoy when choosing dental implants to restore your smile include:
- Implants provide a secure fit that will not move or slip
- Dental implants do not require any special maintenance, however needs cleaning and care just like all of your other teeth
- The porcelain crown is color-matched and polished to perfection
- Dental implants help foster a smoother, fuller, and younger appearance
- Like a natural tooth, implants let you bite, chew and speak properly
- Implants prevent having to grind down adjacent virgin teeth as anchors for a permanent bridge
Are All Patients Candidates for Dental Implants?
Many patients who visit our Scottsdale office and have one or more missing teeth are viable candidates for implants. Not everyone is, however. Your dentist must determine if your jawbone has the density required to support an implant and also evaluate your periodontal health and your overall health. Patients with gum disease usually require periodontal treatment first but then become viable candidates once gum health is restored to the level required by a dental implant. There are certain medical conditions and treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy, that can eliminate you as a candidate, at least in the short-term. Once Dr. Clark has performed a comprehensive examination of your teeth and jaw and assessed your health, he can explore the various tooth replacement options available to you.
Are Dental Implants Safe?
Dental implants are deemed safe, and dentists are able to place them with a very high degree of success. Nevertheless, as with any dental procedure, your safety and the effectiveness of the procedure depend heavily on the skill and experience of the dentist performing the treatment. Dr. Clark works with a highly trained and experienced implantologist in the Scottsdale area. As a team, they both emphasize the proper identification of candidates in order to ensure a high rate of success. Ensuring strong candidates significantly reduces the chance for complications and failure. In addition, the entire team at Scottsdale Cosmetic Dentistry Excellence adheres to the highest standards of safety and ethics at all times. This is imperative to providing you with the best care possible and delivering superior results.
Perfect Your Smile Today
For patients who have missing teeth or teeth that are damaged beyond repair, dental implants are an amazing way to transform your smile and reclaim your self-confidence. Jeffrey D. Clark, DDS, and the entire team at Scottsdale Cosmetic Dentistry Excellence are compassionate and caring, and we truly look forward to helping you. Call us at 480 585 1853 with any questions you may have and to schedule your initial consultation.
