Dental implants are a great choice for replacing missing teeth, especially as an alternative to dentures. If you’re considering dental implants, you have a few options including single dental implant placement or an All-on-4. They can all help you get back to smiling, but they have a few distinct differences.
Dr. Bebeau at Oral Maxillofacial Surgery of Phoenix specializes in both single tooth dental implants, as well as, All-on-4 implants. With single dental implants, a dental implant is used to replace a single tooth. If you need multiple teeth replaced, then you may need an All-on-4 procedure, where 4 implants are used to replace all the teeth in the upper arch or lower arch. Dr. Bebeau has performed thousands of implants and can provide you with a smile that looks and feels natural.
How Do Implant Procedures Work?
The dental implant procedure usually takes three steps: evaluation, surgical screw insertion, and the making of the teeth. Here’s an overall look at how the procedure goes:
1. Evaluation: In this phase, you’ll have a consultation with your dentist to determine whether you are a good candidate for implants. It may be necessary to remove other damaged teeth, or, you may need bone grafts if you have suffered any bone loss or have had missing teeth for a long time.
2. Screw Insertion: Next, Dr. Bebeau will insert the titanium screws that will support your dental implants. This part of the procedure takes about one to two hours. The bone will then need several months to heal and adhere to the screws.
3. Making of the Teeth: During the final phase, a dentist or prosthodontist will place new teeth over the implant screws that look and feel just like natural teeth. This part of the process may take one to two hours over several appointments.
Which Implants Are the Best for You?
Now that you know more about the options for dental implants, it’s time to talk to your dentist to decide which one is right for you. Keep in mind that the more jaw and overall mouth support you need, the more implants you need.
The average healing time for all implants will depend on how many teeth you’re only getting replaced. The entire procedure could take up to 12 months if you need bone grafting or a full arch replacement.
Contact Dr. Nicolas Bebeau at Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Phoenix
If you’re in the Phoenix or Scottsdale area and you’re looking to get dental implants, Dr. Bebeau can help! If you have questions about the differences between implants, or just want more information, contact us and we’ll decide together which implant procedure will work best to restore your smile.
Photo by Peter Kasprzyk on Unsplash