When you’ve experienced tooth loss, the last thing you probably think about is the eventual collapse of your facial structure or your bite. However, this is a very real threat that becomes a potential hazard the moment you lose a tooth. As a result, it’s very essential that you understand why it’s so important to replace missing teeth. Fortunately, dental implants can protect both the structure of your smile and the integrity of your overall appearance. Get to know more on the topic with a quiz.

Quiz Questions: True or False?

1. True or False: Your jawbone is consistently kept healthy as the result of stimulation provided by your teeth. When you lose teeth, that stimulation goes away.
2. True or False: Fortunately, dental implants can preserve the necessary stimulation that your jawbone usually receives. This is because by replacing the roots you once had, the implant or “new roots” signal your body that a tooth is present and needs support.
3. True or False: When enough jaw tissue is lost, the lower portion of your face will collapse due to a lack of support. Over time, your bite may collapse, as well.

Quiz Answers

1. True. The volume, width, and health of the bone remain as they are due to the stimulation that your teeth provide. Think of it as your bone remaining healthy because its responsibility is to house your tooth. When the tooth is gone, the bone “thinks” the responsibility is gone, too.
2. True. We suggest dental implants for patients who are interested and who make good candidates because stimulation can continue, preventing the loss of jaw tissue.
3. True. When you don’t have enough jaw tissue, the framework that provided your face with support disappears and collapse occurs. Over time, if additional tooth loss occurs, your bite may collapse, as well, leading to an even more severe lack of facial support.

ABOUT YOUR ROHNERT PARK, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

Are you worried that you won’t be able to feel like yourself with implants? Do you assume that you’ll be happy to have them in place but that becoming familiar with wearing dental implants is going to take a very long time if not forever? We understand that the thought of replacing your natural teeth with all artificial material can feel somewhat shocking. The good news is that your body is quick to adapt! As a result, you will actually get used to your new smile very quickly. For some additional advice regarding how to expedite the process, we’ve got you covered.

Ask Questions, So You Don’t Act Differently

Maybe you are afraid that you shouldn’t eat certain foods. Perhaps you think you need to something quite specific to keep your dental implants clean. Maybe there are times you wonder if someone is going to look at your smile and think it’s artificial. Fortunately, we can ease your mind with one simple conversation. That is, as long as you take the time to ask! Bring your questions to us, whether you think they’re rational or not. We understand that a lot of thoughts will cross through your mind as you prepare for implants! The good news is that you will like our answers, which will help you realize your smile will look natural and feel natural if you let it.

Go About Your Usual Life

Our response to just about any question you ask us about dental implants will end with a very similar sentiment, which will include something like, “Just go about your life as usual.” Fortunately, the implant is going to replicate your roots and the bond your roots had with your jawbone very closely. Your restoration will offer exceptional function and durability. This means that you can eat what you want, speak comfortably, and care for your smile as you always have. The sooner treat your smile like you used to, the more quickly you will get used to the implants (and forget that they’re not your real teeth).

ABOUT YOUR SANTA ROSA, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

We find there are many questions that have made an appearance at our practice, some of which are quite frequent and others that only seem to come up every now and then. This leads us to believe that there are those common questions patients feel comfortable asking about dental implants and then those that patients want to ask (but feel too shy to bring up). As we always say, we welcome your every inquiry, even if it’s a little embarrassing. We would like to help you get started with feeling comfortable enough to mention your thoughts by providing you with some of those things our patients are often hesitant to bring up (but that are wonderful questions).

Q&A: Questions About Implants

Question: Do I have to get one implant at a time?

Answer: No. You have a lot of options here. You may receive one dental implant if it’s what you need or what you’ve chosen. You may receive more than one single implant to replace multiple teeth. Or, you may receive multiple implants to support a bigger prosthetic (like four implants to support a denture that replaces a full arch of teeth).

Question: Will the dental implant end up damaging nearby teeth? Is it going to fit correctly?

Answer: Your implant will fit beautifully in an effort to maximize function and beauty. We will place it strategically to protect nearby teeth and your entire smile.

Question: Is it too late for me? I want dental implants but I experienced my tooth loss a long time ago. I’m worried I’ll be wasting my time by investigating implants any further.

Answer: It’s always best to come in. Dental care offers exceptional options when it comes to helping a patient qualify for implants. Seeing us is the first step toward a complete smile.

ABOUT YOUR ROHNERT PARK, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

Are you sure about how to respond when a friend asks you about your dental implants? Do you suddenly feel put on the spot because, while you can certainly speak about your experience, you aren’t certain you can offer all of the details your friend is seeking? It’s important to recognize that someone who is interested in addressing tooth loss but who feels confused about how to proceed may have a lot of questions. This person may also feel excited that you seem like someone who might have answers! To help you help your friend, we offer a couple suggestions to ensure you feel you’re doing your best to assist!

Tell Your Story

Many patients are simply looking for some reassurance that it’s a good idea to move ahead in scheduling a dental implant consultation and that the rumors they have heard are not true. While it’s good to remind your friend that all patients go through different experiences due to their unique smiles, you can do your best to offer some simple facts as well as some comfort. Let your friend know about the details of your experience and talk about the benefits. A good way to end the conversation? Tell them about our team, so they can come in and learn about which care plan will work best.

Suggest A Consultation

About that consultation! Your friend might immediately seem grateful and relieved. Or, your friend might still feel hesitant. The best you can do is to let this individual know that the first step toward receiving dental implants is a consultation. You can feel free to offer our contact information. You may also wish to pass along the same thing we tell all of our patients: Discovering and receiving implants is a journey. There’s no pressure to simply learn more and find out about candidacy. It can be the beginning of a wonderful adventure.

ABOUT YOUR SANTA ROSA, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

Beginning to find out about dental implants can (at first) feel like you’re about to begin an entire college level course on a new topic. There is, in fact, a lot of information out there that you can take in if you are interested. However, if your goal is to get to know this option for replacing missing teeth and finding out whether it may make a good fit for your life, you need some essential details. We are happy to get you started with the basic information as you begin your introduction to implants.

Who?

Who is a dental implant a wise choice for? First, it’s a good idea for someone dealing with tooth loss. Second, it’s beneficial for someone who wants a full tooth replacement. However, it might not be something that will work for an individual whose jawbone is in severe decline.

What?

A dental implant is a titanium post. It’s a biocompatible prosthetic that is placed in an effort to replace the roots of your tooth that you lost. Once you’re healed, we will finish the replacement by using a dental crown to top the implant.

Where?

We will place the dental implant for you through our practice.

When?

The sooner you choose to receive implants after tooth loss, the better. They will help keep your smile alignment as is, while supporting optimal jawbone health.

Why?

You may wish to choose a dental implant because it offers many benefits you cannot expect from other tooth replacements. For instance, it’s a way to replace the entirety of your tooth (roots and all).

And How?

The post will be inserted into your jaw tissue, which means through a surgical process, we will “implant” it. The remaining portion will rest within your gum tissue and will just stick out above your gumline (where it will support an abutment and restoration).

ABOUT YOUR ROHNERT PARK, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

When you decide you are interested in dental implants but your general dentist or an oral surgeon from another practice turns you away, you have two options. You can believe what you’ve been told and begin searching for an alternative solution. Or, if you feel in your heart of hearts that this decision is wrong, you may contact us for a second opinion. Wondering if this is a worthwhile venture? As far as we are concerned, the answer is a very simple, “Of course!” Find out why it may be to your benefit to revisit the idea of implants with our team.

Scheduling Your Visit

Without worrying any more about whether you should seek a second opinion for dental implants or not, simply schedule a visit. We will encourage you to set up a time that you can come in for an examination. We can then discuss your options with you, so you feel more confident regarding whether implants are a good idea for you or if it’s best to seek an alternative route for addressing tooth loss.

Why Second Opinions Are Helpful

Getting another opinion about dental implants can be very important for a variety of reasons. First, you may have received the initial opinion from someone with less specialized experience (such as a general dentist). Fortunately, we have the experience and expertise to deal with challenging cases. In addition, there are avenues of care we may be able to take to improve a patient’s oral health who was initially considered “not a candidate” for implants. For instance, your jawbone health may be poor at the moment but bone grafting might solve that problem (and turn you into a decent candidate).

ABOUT YOUR SANTA ROSA, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

We have just officially ushered in autumn, which means the coziness of cooler weather and holiday fun are just ahead. To kick off the season, we would like to provide you with a fun way to think about dental implants. Remember that if you have been considering implants for your smile, now is a fantastic time to come in to learn more. We may be able to get your journey started well before the intensity of holiday planning makes its arrival. As for our autumnal fun, let’s spend a moment with mnemonics as we highlight important details of this tooth loss solution by making use of each letter in the word “implant.”

I

Implant Post. Before you become confused about the way an implant works, try to train yourself into saying, “implant post.” This will remind you that the dental implant is only the post that acts as a replacement for missing roots. Then there’s an abutment and a restoration on top of that.

M

Months. Remember that receiving dental implants is not something that will take place within just a day or two but something that requires months of an exciting adventure that will result in a complete, beautiful smile.

P

Protection. Placement of an implant is an act that will prevent the teeth in your smile from moving. As a result, you won’t need to worry about misalignment. Placement will also help protect the health of your jaw tissue.

L

Long-Lasting. If you’ve ever heard someone mention that a dental implant can last for the rest of your life, this is actually possible.  

A

Anchored. Remember that your implant is anchored into your jaw. This means exceptional stability for a replacement that seems like a real tooth.

N

Natural. Your new tooth is going to seem like a real tooth. After you experience a brief adjustment, you will be able to speak and eat like you used to. Your restoration will also look exceptionally lifelike and natural.

T

Tough. You can eat what you like and act like you’ve got your old smile back without worrying about durability. Treat your replacement as you would your natural teeth.

ABOUT YOUR ROHNERT PARK, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

So, you feel like you have done your research and dental implants are the tooth replacement choice for you. However, when you even consider moving ahead with this selection and getting serious about replacing missing teeth, you’re anything but calm, cool, and collected. Don’t become too concerned. You are not the first patient to find yourself fretting over making such a big decision. Since we know what you’re going through, we encourage you to take a moment to relax … and to take our advice.

Remaining Calm

When you’ve found yourself feeling decidedly sure about dental implants but you don’t know how to make any movement, it’s best to begin by talking with us. It will demystify the process and can help you find out if your hopes for implants are something we can help you with. Perhaps you’re a wonderful candidate! Perhaps you need treatments first, such as bone grafting. Remain calm by starting this whole journey off with a consultation.

Remaining Cool

You can easily remain cool about dental implants by remembering that finding out about them isn’t going to leave you with your dreams fulfilled or shattered. If they’re a good fit, then you can decide if you’re ready. If not, you can agree to another treatment option. Make steady progress without feeling overwhelmed by starting off asking questions and finding out more about how your care plan will work.

Remaining Collected

Remain collected by categorically collecting your thoughts. Ignore the need to make an emotional decision and instead consider everything you have learned. You might even create a pros and cons list, which should include how you feel, your budget, the benefits of choosing dental implants, how the process will work with your schedule, etc.

ABOUT YOUR SANTA ROSA, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).