Dental Implants Waterloo

Waterloo West Dentistry

Artificial Teeth

Replacing Missing Teeth

Dental implants look and feel like real teeth; they are the closest thing to your natural teeth. They are excellent for restoring function. Many patients are surprised at how much easier it is to eat and speak more clearly after getting a dental implant. Dental implants can boost your self esteem, as they restore your smile as well as the tooth or teeth’s function. They also help make sure the surrounding teeth do not start shifting, creating more issues for you.

Once installed, they are very convenient, as they do not need to be taken out and require no special care, other than proper oral hygiene. You clean them the way you would your other teeth, making these the easiest tooth replacement option. They are also a permanent solution, lasting many years with proper care. If you are looking for dental implants in Waterloo, we can help.

Permanent False Teeth

Dental Implants Parts

Whether you have a missing tooth from a tooth extraction due to decay, dental trauma or injury, dental implants provide you with a permanent solution for a lifetime of convenience, easier care, and more natural tooth function.

Implant Post in Jaw Bone

The implant post is the actual implant portion. It is a titanium post that is screwed into your jaw bone, which acts like a natural tooth root. The screw bonds and fuses directly to the bone tissue.

Abutment

The abutment is a piece that attaches to the dental implant post and allows your custom-made tooth restoration to attach to the post.

Prosthesis to Replace Missing Tooth

The prosthesis, or tooth restoration, can be a crown, bridge, or denture. It is the false tooth part that people see, and think of when they think of dental implants.

Missing Teeth?

Restore Your Smile Today

Get back your smile, and enjoy the ease of eating and speaking more naturally again. Dental implants are great for helping people look and feel confident again. If you are insecure about the look of a gap from an extracted tooth and want to be able to use your mouth more easily again, dental implants are an excellent solution. They can truly help with your self-esteem. Waterloo West Dentistry can help, with attentive dental care and a positive environment.

Book an Appointment

Benefits of Dental Implants Benefits of Dental Implant

Why Are Dental Implants Better?

Dental implants will make you feel better, because they look very natural, and work just like a natural tooth. Dental implants boost confidence and self esteem. A key advantage is that with proper care and good oral hygiene, dental implants can last a lifetime and are a permanent solution, so the benefits last.

Dental implants will restore your speech and chewing functionality. Gaps can cause difficulties with speaking and eating. Dentures may slip, causing slurring or mumbling when you speak and make it problematic when eating. Implants are secure, and function like natural teeth.

Dental implants are far more comfortable and convenient than dentures or managing with a gap. You do not have to keep removing them to clean and sleep, unlike removable dentures, and they don't need special cleaners or adhesives. They require no special care, other than good oral hygiene, and brushing and flossing them, just as you would for your natural teeth.

There are some significant dental health and overall health advantages. Dental implants prevent other teeth from shifting out of alignment, which creates risks of more oral health problems. It can affect your facial structure, shortening your jaw and creating sunkenness. With tooth loss, bone loss can occur. Dental implants can prevent that, because they simulate natural teeth so well, with an implant acting as a natural tooth root. With artificial tooth roots that push against the bone like real ones do, plus the actions of chewing, dental implants stimulate bone growth better to prevent bone loss.

Dental Implant Procedure

Getting a Dental Implant

The dental implant procedure is much simpler than many expect. You should not experience any pain with this dental treatment, although the area may have some soreness after the dental implant has been surgically inserted, until it has healed.

Assessment and Initial Consultation

We first assess if you are a good candidate for the process. Bone density needs to be good, and a sufficient amount of gum and bone is necessary, but a bone graft or gum graft may be possible if needed before installing the implant.

Implant Surgery

The next step is the implant surgery, where the titanium screw post is inserted into your jaw bone. After the surgical procedure, the implant heals and fuses directly to your bone.

Dental Restoration Crown

Once your implant has healed, you can return for your custom-made dental restoration. This can be a single crown to replace one tooth, or it can be a bridge for several teeth.

Implant Surgery

What to Expect

The implant procedure involves the titanium implant post being screwed into your jawbone. You will be given a local anesthetic, so there will not be any pain, and the surgery is usually completed in a half hour. With technological improvements, this surgical procedure can be done more quickly and accurately for better results, faster recovery, and more comfort.

For an endosteal implant, your gum will be cut to expose the jawbone, and a hole drilled into the bone for the implant to be inserted.

Next, the site must heal. There also needs to be sufficient time for the jawbone to strengthen and grow around the implant, fusing to it. This is important to keep the post secure, to let it work as an artificial root. It generally takes about three to six months for this to happen. Once it has fused, you can return for the artificial tooth to be attached.

Dental Implant Aesthetics

Natural Looking Teeth

At Waterloo West Dentistry, we take time to ensure your dental implants fit and look great. We carefully choose colours, matching your surrounding teeth, and working with you, for a natural, attractive appearance. Size and shape is also carefully chosen so no one will ever know the tooth is not yours.

Post-Surgery Care

When to See a Dentist

You might experience discomfort and swelling for a few days afterwards, but this should be manageable with over-the-counter pain medication, and is normal. You will need regular appointments after surgery to ensure the health of your implant. Radiography is used to examine your jawbone and ensure that the implant is in place and there is no sign of bone loss around the implant. The dentist will also look for signs of apical periodontitis and inflammatory bone lesions around the implant. They ensure minor issues are discovered and corrected early before they become serious, such as micro movements that you can't feel. Dental implants are successful 95% of the time, so complications are rare.

Signs of implant failure include severe pain, that either is not manageable with over-the-counter products, or lasts longer than a couple of weeks. Implant failure pain is often described as throbbing. If you notice gum recession around the implant, or potential signs of gum disease such as periodontal disease, contact your dentist, as there may be insufficient gum tissue to hold the implant. Red, painful or swollen gums should be checked out. Minor gum swelling is normal after the surgery, but dramatic or long lasting swelling is an issue.

If you are having difficulty chewing or biting after, or if your implant is shifting or feels loose, contact your dentist immediately. Sudden allergic reactions are rare, but symptoms include loss of taste, gum swelling and tingling sensations that require follow up, too.

Securing Bridges

Dental Implants vs. Bridges

A dental crown is the most common implant restoration, acting as a single false tooth over a single-tooth implant. For several missing teeth, though, bridges are another option to replace multiple teeth or a single tooth. Sometimes, dental implants are used to secure bridges, when it is not possible or desirable to secure them to natural teeth. Bridges don’t last as long as dental implants since they rely on adjacent teeth for support. They also require special care and cleaning, especially around the base of the bridge.

For those who need dentures because of complete tooth loss, especially for younger patients, using dental implants to secure their dentures can help.

A dental bridge will fill a multiple-tooth gap, replacing these teeth with one or two implants to support it. A full implant-supported bridge replaces the entire upper or lower set of teeth. Four or more implants are needed to secure this.
Implants are used to add stability to a removable denture. An implant denture attaches to two implants and is more secure than traditional dentures.