A Reliable Replacement for Missing Teeth

Missing a tooth or several teeth? Dental implants are an extremely popular choice for people who have lost a tooth or multiple teeth due to periodontal disease, injury, or a medical condition.

Dr. Blair can help restore the function of your smile with a titanium dental implant to support your artificial tooth or teeth.

What Is a Dental Implant?

When a tooth is lost to disease, decay, injury, or any other reason, a titanium dental implant can provide a strong, artificial root to support a denture, crown, or bridge.

In dental implant surgery, one or more dental implants are placed into the healthy jawbone beneath your gums. The jawbone and gums are allowed to heal before your next surgery, when a post is fitted to the implant. From there, an artificial tooth is crafted, fitted, and bonded in place.

Dental implants are designed to be long-lasting, and with proper care, can last for many years.

What to Expect When Getting Dental Implants

During a comprehensive dental exam, we review your medical history, overall health, and dental health to determine if dental implants will be right for you. We’ll take a detailed CBCT x-ray to give us precise information about your jawbone health and identify where to place your implants.

The Dental Implant Procedure

If our exam reveals you’re a good candidate for dental implants, there are several steps required over a few months:

Removing damaged teeth, if necessary
Surgery to perform a bone graft of your jaw, if necessary and appropriate, followed by healing time
Surgery to place the dental implant and a few months to heal
Surgery to place the abutment (post) and a couple of weeks to heal
Placing the artificial tooth or bridge

Aftercare & Recovery

You might experience some discomfort following your dental implant procedure at each step in the process, including swelling, bruising, tenderness, or minor bleeding. We’ll prescribe pain medication and antibiotics as necessary, and you should always feel welcome to call us if you have any concerns about your symptoms.

You should care for your implants just like your regular teeth, with regular brushing and flossing. With proper care, your dental implants can last for many years.