Replace Missing Teeth, Recover Your Smile
Living with missing teeth can impact how you speak, chew, smile, and even how you feel about yourself. Dentures and other tooth replacement options can help, but they lack the stability and realistic aesthetic of natural teeth. With dental implants, however, you can fully replace your missing teeth and walk away with a seamless smile that looks and feels natural, stable, and comfortable.
Dr. Morrell, Dr. Maisey, and our team combine artistry, cosmetic dentistry, and the latest in dental technology to both place and restore dental implants in Anchorage, AK, without you having to leave our dental office. If you are missing one or more of your teeth, contact us today to stop suffering and start smiling!
What is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant is a surgical fixture that is placed into the jawbone and allowed to fuse with the bone over a few months. It acts as a replacement for the root of a missing tooth. This “artificial tooth root” is the basis that holds your replacement tooth or bridge in place.
What Makes Dental Implants Unique?
Implants offer a benefit provided by no other dental prosthetic. When your tooth is healthy, it transfers the force of your bite into your jawbone, which signals your nervous system to provide nutrients and minerals to maintain the bone’s density.
When you lose your tooth, you lose this signal, and your brain redirects material elsewhere. Within a year, over a quarter of your surrounding bone is lost. This can destabilize your remaining teeth and lead to changes in your face’s structure.
By placing a dental implant, we can restore stimulation to your jawbone by transferring the force of your bite once again! This preserves the bone and prevents complications that arise due to lost density.
Am I A Candidate For Dental Implants?
Because implants fuse permanently to your jawbone, your jaw must be strong enough to hold your new prosthetic. We will conduct a thorough examination to decide if implants are the best tooth loss solution for you. Because implants require healthy gums to create a seal around your post, you will need to have any active periodontal infection under control before moving forward with placement.
Benefits of Dental Implants
- Natural Appearance and Comfort: Dental implants are designed to look, feel, and function like your natural teeth. They integrate into the structure of your jawbone, eliminating the discomfort often associated with removable dentures.
- Improved Oral Health: Unlike tooth-supported bridges, dental implants don’t require altering your other teeth. This leaves more of your natural enamel intact, improving long-term oral health. Implants are also easy to clean and maintain, meaning you don’t have to sacrifice your oral hygiene.
- Durability: Dental implants are made from biocompatible titanium and quality ceramic, making them highly durable. With the proper care and maintenance, your implants can last you a lifetime.
- Prevention of Bone Loss: When you lose teeth, you also tend to lose bone mass in your jaw. Dental implants are the only tooth replacement option that can stimulate your jawbone tissue, helping to prevent bone loss.
- Improved Speech and Eating: Poor-fitting dentures can shift in your mouth, making speaking and eating difficult. Dental implants are stable and function like your natural teeth, allowing you to eat your favorite foods without worrying.
- Improved Self-Esteem: Dental implants restore your smile and allow you to eat, talk, and laugh confidently.
Types of Dental Implants
- Single Dental Implants: These are the most commonly used type of implant and are best if you are missing one tooth. Comprised of a titanium post and a porcelain crown, they can slot seamlessly into your smile and replace your missing tooth.
- Implant-Supported Bridges: This option involves using implants to support a dental bridge, which replaces multiple missing teeth. It provides stability and prevents the need for altering adjacent healthy teeth.
- All-on-4 Implants: This technique uses four strategically placed implants to support a full arch of replacement teeth. It offers a fixed and more affordable solution for patients with significant tooth loss or those who require full-mouth rehabilitation.
- Mini Implants: Also known as small or narrow-diameter implants, these toothpick-sized implants are narrower than regular dental implants. They are suitable for patients with narrower spaces or for replacing front teeth.
Our experienced dentists, Dr. Morrell and Dr. Maisey, will walk you through your options during your consultation and will help you choose the type of implant that best suits your unique dental needs.
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
With proper care, your implant post should remain secure for the rest of your life. The life of your prosthetic above the gumline will depend on the type we select. A dental crown can last more than ten years, for example.
Implant-supported dentures and bridges may last even longer than their traditional counterparts because changes in jawbone density due to tooth loss can cause a standard bridge or denture to no longer fit in place after a certain number of years.
If your implants start to look worn down or damaged, we are able to repair or renew restorations in-house in our dental office in Anchorage. With our dentists’ expertise, advanced technology, and craftsmanship, you will be smiling again in no time!
The Dental Implant Process at Denali Dental Care
At Denali Dental Care, our team stays by your side every step of the way and ensures you are comfortable and relaxed throughout the dental implant process.
- Consultation and Evaluation: During your initial consultation, Dr. Morrell or Dr. Maisey will take X-rays and discuss your dental history in order to determine if dental implants are the right solution for your smile.
- Preparatory Procedures: Depending on the results of your initial consultation, you might need a bone graft or other preparatory procedures before you can move forward with the implant placement.
- Implant Placement: Once your jawbone is ready, Dr. Morrell or Dr. Maisey surgically places the titanium implant into your jawbone. This procedure is typically done under local anesthesia to ensure patient comfort.
- Healing and Osseointegration: This is a crucial stage where the jawbone grows around the implant to secure it in place. This process, known as osseointegration, typically takes a few months.
- Abutment Placement: Once osseointegration is complete, an abutment, a small connector post that holds the new tooth, is attached to the implant post.
- Crown Attachment: Finally, a customized dental crown, which has been created in a dental lab to match your natural teeth, is attached to the abutment.
Denali Dental Care ensures a smooth and comfortable experience throughout the dental implant process. We’re committed to helping you regain a healthy, confident smile.
Redesign or Restore Your Smile Today!
If you’re living with missing teeth and looking for a permanent solution, or if you’re looking to refresh your existing implants, our team at Denali Dental Care is here to help! Sit back and relax while our highly skilled dentists, Dr. Morrell and Dr. Maisey, give you the smile of your dreams. Contact us to schedule your appointment today. Your new smile is a call away!
Transformative Implant Experiences
I had an implant repaired, and a crown replaced. Dr. Morrell is always so gentle, and Kaye is an exceptional assistant. The office staff are so friendly and helpful. Thanks for another great visit!
Wonderful customer service. They found an issue with my dental implant that I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise, preventing a much more costly repair.
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IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR RELIABLE DENTAL CARE OR FACIAL REJUVENATION IN ANCHORAGE, GIVE US A CALL!
