Dental Implants Oregon City

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants refer to small posts that can be surgically embedded directly into the jawbone, in the gaps where teeth were lost. They essentially become replacement tooth roots after they’ve fused with the bone tissue, meaning that when a dental restoration is attached on top, it receives incredible support. Dental implants can be used to replace any number of missing teeth, no matter where they were located. With the right care, they have the potential to last for decades.

The 4-Step Dental Implant Process

The dental implant process can usually be categorized into four key steps:

• Initial Consultation – You’ll kick things off with an appointment at our office with Dr. Berkner and our team. We’ll assess your oral health and jawbone strength to make sure you’re a good candidate for dental implants.
• Implant Surgery – We can place dental implants right here in our Oregon City office; using a surgical guide, this process often is done very quickly and painlessly.
• Osseointegration/Abutments – Your dental implants will need several months to fuse with your jawbone. After this, you’ll return to receive your abutments, which connect to your replacement teeth.
• Delivery of Final Restoration(s) – Since dental implants can replace any number of missing teeth, your restoration could be just one single crown, a bridge, or a full denture. Once it’s been attached, it’ll be fully functional and look remarkably lifelike.

Benefits of Dental Implants

Dental implants don’t just restore your missing teeth; they also come with several quality-of-life benefits, including:

• They prevent bone resorption in the jaw that follows tooth loss.
• They restore most of your original biting power, allowing you to eat all kinds of foods.
• They are far more stable than traditional restorations like dentures.
• They can last for several decades or a lifetime with the right care.

Who Dental Implants Can Help

Different options may be better for different scenarios, depending upon the number of missing teeth, condition of the gums, etc. If you are missing one tooth, several teeth, or aren’t sure what you need, our dentists will help you decide what is best for your situation. Often patients get quotes from offices needing way more implants than are needed, but we can help you get the most efficient bite or smile with the least amount of dental implants.

Missing a Single Tooth

A single tooth dental implant is the most common option, and the simplest. Placing a single implant in a site that is missing a tooth can be done with or without a surgical guide and restored within four months. If a front tooth is missing, we will never make you leave our office with a missing tooth. We will send you home with a temporary tooth while the dental implant is healing.

Missing Multiple Teeth

Usually reserved for situations where two or more teeth in a row are missing or damaged, these replacements are similar in nature to traditional dental bridges. However, unlike a bridge, where connections must be made to natural teeth, implant bridges are instead supported by one to two dental implants and thus are more conservative.

Missing All Teeth

Traditional dentures can be hard to wear and provide only 10% of your original natural biting force. Adding several implants underneath a new or existing denture increases your biting force to over 40% and prevents it from moving. Unstable dentures or dentures that have never fit correctly can easily be upgraded by placing dental implants underneath them for support. This creates a better bite with much more comfort and security.