logo

Implants

Cosmetic and Family Dentist located in Georgetown Place, Maplecrest, Fort Wayne and New Haven, IN

Implants
About Dental Implants

Nothing can replace your natural, permanent teeth, but dental implants provide the next best thing. If you’ve tried bridges and dentures and weren’t happy with the results, dental implants are worth considering. At Maple Dental, cosmetic and family dentist Gurpreet Kaur, DDS, provides comprehensive oral health care to people of all ages living in and around Georgetown Place, Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, and New Haven, Indiana, including dental implant surgery. To learn more about this cutting-edge restoration method, make an appointment by calling the office or requesting one online today. 

Dental Implants Q&A

What are dental implants?

A dental implant is a type of restoration that acts as a replacement tooth root. During dental implant surgery, your dentist places a series of titanium posts into the sockets of your missing teeth — one for each tooth. Following surgery, your bone tissue grows around the implants, fusing them permanently to your jawbone. 

Each implant connects to a metal post called an abutment. Your dentist attaches a crown, bridge, or implant-supported denture on top of the abutment, restoring your smile to a healthy, vibrant, and near-original condition. 

What are the advantages of dental implants?

Dental implants provide many advantages compared with traditional oral prosthetics, including improvements in:

  • Speech
  • Appearance
  • Ease of eating
  • Self-esteem
  • Oral health

Dental implants are also convenient. You don’t have to remove them or soak them overnight like you do with dentures. That means you can say goodbye to sticky denture adhesives and messy cleaning solutions. 

Am I a good candidate for dental implants?

To be a good candidate for dental implants, you need to have healthy gums and jawbones. Because dental implants require surgery, you also need to be healthy enough to undergo a routine dental procedure like an extraction or root canal. 

If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or another chronic condition, make sure to let your dentist know. These health problems won’t necessarily disqualify you from treatment, but they may increase your risk of complications. Following an oral exam, a review of your medical history, and a discussion of your goals for treatment, the Maple Dental team can develop a plan that best aligns with your needs. 

What is the process for getting dental implants?

Getting dental implants usually takes six months to a year and requires several dentist appointments. Though this might seem like a lot of effort, it’s important to remember that with proper care, dental implants can last a lifetime. 

At your first appointment, your Maple Dental provider performs an oral exam, asks you about your goals for treatment, and takes a series of X-rays. If your jawbones and gums are healthy, your dentist administers a local anesthetic and surgically places a metal post into the sockets of each of your missing teeth. After surgery, you return home for a period of 3-4 months. During this time, your gums heal, and your bone grows around the implants.

At your second appointment, your dentist takes impressions of your remaining teeth. Next, they use these impressions to manufacture your crown, bridge, or implant-supported dentures. Several weeks later, you return for your final appointment. At your final appointment, your dentist lines up your crown, bridge, or implant-supported dentures and attaches them to your implants. You leave the office with a healthy, brilliant smile. 

If you’re missing permanent teeth and want to restore your smile, dental implants can help. Make an appointment at Maple Dental by calling the office or requesting an appointment online today.