With oral surgery, we can offer a durable and long-lasting tooth replacement option, one that looks and functions like natural teeth. Dental implants can address minor tooth loss and even support fixed dentures, often in only one visit. In today’s blog, your Santa Rosa, CA, oral surgeons talk about addressing missing teeth with oral surgery. The process can provide dental implants to address minor tooth loss, or even support a full set of dentures that never slip and last far beyond the few years that traditional removable ones last.
Examining Your Smile
To begin, we want to talk to you about your missing teeth and then conduct a detailed examination with advanced imaging technology, such as digital x-rays and CBCT technology. This helps us understand the cause of your tooth loss, so we can treat underlying issues and ensure action is taken that can prevent implant failure down the road. We can also help decide if you require an individual dental implant, or if you will require several to support a bridge or a full set of dentures. We then take images of your jaw that help us choose the best angle, position, and depth to insert these new posts. For some, we may need to conduct a tooth extraction to remove a few remaining teeth, or ones that have become decayed or diseased and need to be addressed. Of course, we take steps to ensure this is a safe and gentle process for our patients.
Anesthesia And Sedation
We knew the idea of oral surgery can be scary for some people, especially if they have dental anxiety already. But we don’t want your phobias to stand between you and a full and beautiful smile. We can numb the placement area with a local anesthetic, and our team can also administer sedation to help you enter a deep state of calm and relaxation. We have experience with surgery and follow the same strict guidelines expected of hospital operating rooms. Our doctors often work with the Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Trauma Team, and we have trained and board-certified anesthesiologists on staff too.
Placing New Roots
The new root portion of the implant is a biocompatible titanium post, one that we insert into the jaw. The body accepts this as a new root, so it bonds with the jaw and helps the flow of calcium and phosphorus resume, so your jaw doesn’t lose mass and density. You preserve your youthful facial features and jaw structure, and your dental implants have the ability to last for decades to come, or possibly even a lifetime. For an individual dental implant, we will complete it with an abutment and crown, the crown being custom-made to offer a lifelike appearance and a durable chewing surface, so you can enjoy lifelike tooth replacement. But we can also address severe cases of tooth loss with fixed dentures!
All-On-Four
The All-On-Four system replaces every tooth on one or both arches. We do so with only four specially placed dental implant posts, which we insert into the jawbone at specific angles and positions to support new teeth and stimulate the growth of jawbone structure to keep your smile intact. In the same visit, we will connect abutments to the teeth and attach a denture. For some, this is the final denture, while others may receive a temporary and need to return later for the permanent one. Either way, you leave with a complete smile, and never live with an incomplete one once treatment begins. We’re excited to be able to offer a new smile in only one visit. In addition, since these posts require less structure to stay in place, you may not need to undergo grafting or a sinus lift if your jaw has weakened due to tooth loss.
If you have any questions about how we handle minor or severe tooth loss with dental implants, or if you have a gap in your smile that needs attention, then contact our team today to learn more. You deserve a full and beautiful smile, and we want to help make it a possibility.
Schedule Your Tooth Replacement in Santa Rosa, CA
Our team understands the importance of replacing missing teeth and improving the health and beauty of your smile. To learn more about dental implant placement, then give us a call at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery at (707)545-4625 today! With dental implants, our team can help you smile with confidence, eat your favorite meal again, and enjoy a smile that remains full and beautiful for decades to come.
