What are dental implants?
Dental implants are small metal posts placed beneath your gum line during an outpatient procedure. They replace your natural tooth roots and provide a sturdy base for restorations like crowns, a fixed bridge, or implant-retained dentures.
Dr. Koch offers start to finish treatment using Ultratooth® dental implants. Ultratooth implants are unique in that they’re fully functional at the time of placement. That means you can bite and chew immediately following your appointment.
What are the advantages of dental implants?
Dental implants offer many advantages, including:
- Improved comfort
- Durability
- Convenience
- Easier eating
Dental implants also improve your oral health. If you’re missing one (or multiple) teeth, you’re more likely to experience gum recession and bone loss. Implants help preserve your jaw, lowering the risk of these and other issues.
Can anyone get dental implants?
To get dental implants, you need healthy gums and plenty of jaw tissue to support them. If Dr. Koch determines you have gum disease or low jawbone volume, he might recommend periodontal treatment or a bone graft first.
During your initial appointment, let Dr. Koch know if you have a chronic health problem like diabetes or a congenital heart defect. These ailments may increase the risk of complications, including implant failure.
What does getting dental implants involve?
Getting dental implants used to take a series of appointments spaced over several months. At Advanced Dental Care of East Texas, Dr. Koch has a CEREC milling machine and offers Ultratooth implants. These technologies make it possible to restore your smile in a single visit.
Most dental practices rely solely on traditional dental implant techniques. The Ultratooth implants offered at Advanced Dental Care of East Texas are the only FDA-approved dental implant appropriate for immediate use. With Ultratooth, you can leave the office with a fully functional tooth replacement on the same day as your procedure.
At the beginning of your appointment, Dr. Koch administers a local anesthetic to numb your mouth. Once the anesthesia sets in, he places the Ultratooth implants beneath your gum line. The number of implants you get depends on the number of teeth you’re missing and the type of restoration you want.
After placing the implants, Dr. Koch takes digital scans of your mouth. He uses the scans to design custom restorations (ie: a crown, fixed bridge, or implant-retained dentures). After finalizing a design, he uploads them to the CEREC milling machine. The CEREC milling machine uses the designs to manufacture one (or several) restorations that fit perfectly.
Once the CEREC machine finishes, Dr. Koch lines up the new restorations with your implants. Then, he bonds them in place, restoring your smile to a healthy, vibrant condition.
If you’re interested in learning more about dental implants, make an appointment at Advanced Dental Care of East Texas. Call to speak with an administrative staff member or click the online booking tool.
