Dental Implants in Nashua and Bedford NH

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are the most natural, permanent replacement for missing teeth available. Dental implants replace the root and crown of a natural tooth, preserving function and restoring your smile. Missing teeth can lead to various dental and health issues, but implant-supported replacement teeth can prevent these problems.

A dental implant replaces the root of a missing tooth. The implant is usually made of titanium, a biocompatible metal often used in artificial joints. Once the dental implant is in place, and the jawbone has healed, a crown or dental prosthesis is attached to the implant to replace the visible portion of the missing tooth using an abutment. The abutment is a slender pin or post placed in the center of the titanium implant.
 

How Dental Implants Can Improve Your Life

Dental implants are rapidly becoming the preferred choice for replacing missing teeth because they are permanent, comfortable, and virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth. Patients with missing teeth can dramatically improve their lives by getting dental implants to restore their teeth.

While the dental implant’s most apparent purpose is to hold a replacement tooth, it serves other purposes, including jawbone preservation. A tooth implant encourages the jawbone to grow around it and prevents deterioration. The jawbone around the empty socket deteriorates quickly when a tooth root is missing. Without an implant to replace the missing root, the jawbone can resorb up to 25% in the first year. When the jawbone deteriorates, you develop a sunken, aged appearance, and your chin begins to recede.

In addition to preserving your facial structure, implants can improve your life by:

• Allowing you to eat any foods you like
• Eliminating the need for dentures
• Restoring your bite force
• Eliminating worries about dentures slipping, pinching, or shifting
• Socializing comfortably with implants that look and function like your natural teeth
• Restoring the natural attractiveness of a healthy smile

Dental Implant Options     

Patients have a range of options with implants, including everything from a single tooth implant to a complete restoration of all their teeth. At Apex Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, our surgeons routinely perform dental implant surgeries of all kinds, including:
 

• Immediate dental implants
• Upper and lower full arches
• Fixed implant-supported dentures
• Removable implant-supported dentures
• Single tooth implants

The Dental Implant Procedure

Dental implant placement is a collaborative effort between your oral surgeon and your dentist or a dental prosthodontist. Drs. Torio, Decoteau, Burk, Madden, or Farr perform the actual implant surgery, initial tooth extractions, and bone grafting if necessary. The restorative dentist (your dentist) designs and crafts the permanent prosthesis. Your dentist can also make any temporary prosthesis needed during the implant healing process. We pride ourselves in the communication between our office and your dentist to ensure that your treatment between our offices is seamless for you!
 

At Apex OMFS, our doctors regularly perform teeth extractions. They have years of experience minimizing discomfort during the extraction with minimal disruption. If you have a severe toothache or are concerned about symptoms that may indicate an infection, you are still able to have an implant placed. Our surgeons have placed hundreds of dental implants for patients of all ages, restoring their ability to speak, eat, and smile without self-consciousness. The implant surgery can take less than an hour for a single tooth implant or two to three hours to place several implants.

Please keep in mind that the dental implant process can take several months, from the placement of the implants to the attachment of the permanent replacement teeth to allow the jawbone and gums to heal. If you have insufficient jawbone mass to support implants, bone grafting may be needed to build up the jawbone, adding to the healing time.

After the implants are surgically placed in the jawbone, osseointegration begins. This is the process of the surrounding bone fusing with the titanium posts to form a firm foundation for your replacement teeth. During this time, we monitor your progress to ensure healthy, complete healing.

Once the implants have fused with the jawbone, dental crowns or a prosthesis is designed and manufactured by your dentist. When the replacement teeth are complete, they are attached to the implants using small metal fasteners called abutments. In some situations, there may be a second surgery to sculpt gum tissue for a more natural appearance around the base of the implants. Our implant procedure overview page outlines the process in more detail.

If you have been referred to Apex OMFS for dental implants, your dentist is confident in our proven ability to perform precise, successful implant surgery that lasts a lifetime. To schedule your initial tooth implant consultation, contact us at Bedford Office Phone Number 603-883-4008 or schedule an appointment online.