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Unlike natural teeth, dental implants aren’t at risk for tooth decay.
First, you’ll visit our office in Valparaiso to meet with Dr. Wisowaty for a consultation. After a comprehensive exam of your mouth, along with x-rays, your doctor can assess your oral health needs and jaw bone density to determine if you’re a good candidate for implants. Dr. Wisowaty will discuss their findings with you, and together, you’ll decide if dental implants are the best choice to restore your grin, or if your smile is in need of another restorative option.
When your treatment is approved, you and Dr. Wisowaty will schedule an oral surgery appointment, and they will provide you with a detailed treatment plan. To begin the procedure, Dr. Wisowaty will create a small incision in the gum line, and place a dental implant into your jaw bone. The implant is a screw-shaped titanium post that integrates directly with your natural bone. Dr. Wisowaty will then clean, disinfect, and close the incision so the healing process can begin.
After the implants have been placed, your gums will begin the healing process right away. To heal completely from the initial surgery, it takes most patients less than 2 weeks. However, it takes between 3-6 months for the implant itself to permanently heal, in a process known as “osseointegration.”
You’ll visit our office several times throughout the healing process to ensure the implant is integrating successfully with your jaw. During the examination, Dr. Wisowaty will take impressions of your bite, which will be sent to our trusted dental lab, where they will craft the custom dental prosthetic that will be affixed to your dental implant.
Once we have received your completed dental prosthetic, and your implant has finished integrating with your jaw, you’ll return for your final visit. During this visit, Dr. Wisowaty will finish up the procedure by attaching the restoration to your dental implant, permanently securing it with dental cement or another adhesive.
One of the best parts about dental implants is that they don’t require any special care outside of good oral hygiene practices. Be sure to brush at least twice a day, floss daily, and schedule visits to your dentist every six months for routine cleanings and exams. With the right oral health habits, your dental implant can last a lifetime.
Single tooth implants consist of two primary parts, and are the most-common type of dental implant. The implant itself is a titanium “post” that is shaped like a screw. A dental crown can be made from a variety of materials and is a tooth-shaped “cap” that attaches to the implant post to complete the restoration.
Single tooth implants are embedded directly into the jaw, where the titanium integrates permanently with the bone. While the site heals, a dental crown is crafted, and is eventually affixed to the implant post via an “abutment.” Crowns mirror the look and function of a natural tooth to blend in seamlessly with the rest of your smile. Made from durable materials, dental crowns can last for decades, while dental implants can last a lifetime. And unlike a partial denture, a single-tooth implant will never move around or shift in your mouth.
For patients who are missing all, or most, of their teeth, full-arch implants offer a durable alternative to traditional dentures that won’t slide around in the mouth. Your dental prosthetic will be attached to a series of 4-6 dental implants that are placed in each arch, so you can enjoy the look, feel, and function of a brand new smile that will last for years to come.
Because the dental implants act like natural roots to support fixed dental bridges or a set of removable implant-supported overdentures, full-arch implants look and feel much more natural than their traditional counterparts. Permanently bonded with your jaw, full-arch implants allow for prosthetics that will never shift or move when you eat or speak.
Mini implants are about half the size of their full-sized counterparts. While they can be utilized to restore anywhere from one to several teeth, mini implants are most often used as anchors for a set of implant-supported dentures.
Due to their smaller size, the placement process for mini implants is a less invasive procedure than is required for traditional implants. Their small size also means that mini implants can often still be placed in patients who have experienced bone loss in their jaw due to tooth loss or gum disease.
Even the best-fitting dentures tend to slip and slide around your mouth, especially in the lower arch. Fortunately, there is a way to keep this from happening, so you can smile with confidence.
Implant-retained dentures, sometimes referred to as overdentures or snap-on dentures, are just like traditional dentures, but they are secured in place with 2-4 dental implants. These dentures are made from a combination of acrylic and metal materials for added support and durability. The upper arch will ideally be supported by 4 implants, however in some cases, 2 implants may be enough.
For patients without sufficient bone density, mini-implants can also be used in the same way to help keep their dentures in place. Mini-implants can also be used to keep your denture secure during the traditional implant healing process.
Even though your denture will be fastened in place during the day, it’s still important to remove them before bed so you can keep your gums, implants, and denture clean.
All-on-4, sometimes referred to as All-on-X implants, or Fixed Implant Rehabilitation, utilizes a series of dental implants to secure a fixed bridge. Depending on your bone density, Dr. WIsowaty will place 4-6 implants in your mouth that will anchor a permanent prosthetic that cannot be removed at home.
For many patients, dental implants can last a lifetime.
Dental implants consist of two main parts, the implant itself, and the restorative component. The implant is the screw-shaped titanium “post” that is placed directly into the jaw bone. The restoration is most often a custom-crafted prosthetic like a dental crown, and an abutment, which links the restoration and the implant together. Implant posts, on the other hand, come in various pre-made sizes, ensuring every patient gets an implant that fits their grin.
After your dental implant has been placed, Dr. Wisowaty will create impressions of your teeth and gums using digital scans, and send them to a dental lab, where they will create a dental implant restoration that is made to last. Most restorations are crafted out of porcelain or a durable, natural-looking composite material. Once we receive your restoration, you’ll return to our office where Dr. Wisowaty will secure your dental prosthetic to your implant, completing the restoration.
When dental implants are placed properly, and kept up with good oral hygiene habits, they can last for decades. In fact, it’s common for patients to keep their implants for the rest of their lives.
On the other hand, although restorations like dental crowns and bridges are made from durable materials, the regular wear they endure from chewing and biting means that they will likely need to be replaced at some point to ensure your continued oral health.
Although rare, it is possible for dental implants to become infected. A condition known as “peri-implantitis,” an infected dental implant is most often a result of the implant not being cleaned or cared for correctly following oral surgery.
The best way to avoid the risk of peri-implantitis is to carefully follow Dr. Wisowaty’s instructions for recovery, and to keep up with good oral hygiene habits, like regular brushing and flossing, once your dental implant has healed.
Yes, and they’re the only dental restoration that does so. Bone loss, also known as bone resorption, occurs after losing a tooth, when your jaw stops being stimulated by the natural forces that come from chewing and biting, causing your jaw bone to weaken.
When a dental implant bonds directly with the jaw bone, it acts as an artificial root in that it effectively transmits the pressure of chewing and biting into your jaw bone, providing stimulation to keep your bone from losing density.
For some cases, there are several types of dental implants that can be completed in just one appointment. However, the restoration will be a temporary prosthetic to keep your bite functional and to protect the implant site until you’ve finished healing from the placement surgery. The temporary restoration ensures that you will be able to eat and speak normally during the healing process.
Healing usually lasts between 3-6 months, and during this time your dentist will schedule a series of follow-up visits. They will monitor your healing progress and take impressions of your teeth and gums, which will be sent to our dental lab. The lab will use these images to custom-craft your permanent restoration, a more durable, natural-looking prosthetic than your temporary one.
Titanium is durable, light, and biocompatible.
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