Dental Implants – Southlake, TX
The Closest Replacement Solution to Your Home-Grown Teeth
If you have missing teeth, they’re probably the first thing you notice whenever you see your smile. Whether it’s in the mirror or in pictures online, all you can focus on is what isn’t there. Plus, missing teeth can be more than just a cosmetic problem. Over time, they make a person much more likely to develop gum disease, which in itself is the leading cause of tooth loss! For both your self-confidence and your health, it’s important that you replace your missing teeth, and the best way to do that, by far, is with dental implants.
Dental implants are the most comprehensive tooth replacement solution available today, providing the most benefits when it comes to security, longevity, and aesthetics. With Dr. J. Lee Pettigrew’s expertise, he can use them to bring your smile back to its former glory.
Benefits of Dental Implants
There’s a reason that dental implants in Southlake come so highly recommended by dentists and patients alike. It’s because they offer a variety of advantages that traditional crowns, bridges, and dentures aren’t able to. Some of these unique benefits include:
- Natural Appearance and Feel: We craft our restorations using high-quality and durable materials that mimic the details of natural teeth. Plus, since they replace the entire structure of teeth from the root upward, they feel like your homegrown pearly whites as well.
- No More Bone Loss: Without the stimulation from your tooth’s root, you can experience jawbone loss. Even with dentures, your bone will still deteriorate. Because your implants are secured to your jaw, your blood flow will be restored, encouraging new tissue growth.
- Stands the Test of Time: Clinical research has shown that dental implants can last up to 35 years with the proper maintenance and care.
- Strength and Stability: Because your dental implants bond with your jawbone, your restorations have a strong, sturdy, and stable foundation to be secured to. This prevents common instability issues that some patients experience with traditional restorations like dentures.
Indications for Dental Implants
Suffering from tooth loss can have serious implications on your quality of life, which is why Dr. Pettigrew develops a custom-tailored treatment plan for you during your initial consultation. He will outline each of your tooth replacement options and may suggest one of the following restorations.
Missing Single Tooth
For a single missing tooth, we can replace it with an implant-retained crown. It will attach directly to the titanium post via an abutment, and it will be made entirely of dental porcelain. This is one of the best materials we use in all of dentistry because it is able to mimic a natural tooth in every possible way.
Missing Multiple Teeth
If you’re missing more than one consecutive teeth in a row, dental implants can also be used to support a bridge. Compared to traditional bridges, implant-retained bridges look better, last longer, and do a better job of preserving your remaining teeth.
All-On-4 / Teeth-in-a-Day
This treatment uses just 4 implant posts to support an entire full denture. Often, the implants and denture can actually be placed in the same day, meaning a patient can wake up with a row of missing teeth in the morning and go to bed with a complete smile. This procedure is ideal for patients who may not have enough healthy jawbone to support traditional implant-retained dentures (which typically require 6-8 posts). With this method, now even more people can benefit from having their missing teeth replaced.
Team-Based Dental Implant Treatment
Dental implants are special because they are actually able to rebuild your tooth from the root up. This not only provides your replacement teeth with unrivaled stability, but it also restores essential support to your jaw. Your teeth’s roots are important to keeping your jaw strong and healthy, and without them, the bone can easily shrink and deteriorate. With dental implants, this process is not only prevented, it can even be reversed!
A dental implant is actually a small titanium post, and the first step to getting one is to have it surgically placed into your jawbone. Dr. Pettigrew can refer you to a trusted surgical team to perform this minor procedure.
After your procedure has been completed, you’ll be given 4-6 months to heal, during which time the implants will naturally bond with the surrounding bone, providing an even stronger hold. Once you are finished healing, you’ll return to our office to receive your replacement teeth.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Every patient has a unique mouth, which makes it impossible to state a single cost for dental implants. During your initial consultation with your dentist in Southlake, you’ll be able to get any questions you have answered. Dr. Pettigrew will outline a custom-tailored treatment timeline that will include several cost-determining factors such as how many implants you’ll need placed, what restorations you need, and whether you require any preparatory procedures before your surgery. That way, you’ll be able to start your dental implant process feeling confident and ready to move forward.
If you’re on the fence about getting dental implants in Southlake or would like more information, don’t hesitate to contact our office today. We are more than happy to walk you through the process so you feel great about your decision to give your smile a new life!
Dental Implant FAQs
Dental implants are a preferred tooth replacement option because of their numerous benefits, but they are quite an investment. It pays to be well informed before committing to the procedure. Fortunately, we are here to help. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions we receive about dental implants in Southlake. If you don’t see the information that you’re looking for below, just give us a call. We’d be happy to answer your questions and get you started with an initial consultation.
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
The lifespan of dental implants typically depends on the health and lifestyle choices of the patient. To ensure that implants last, be sure that you are brushing, flossing, and rinsing with a mouthwash on a daily basis. Attend your regular cleanings and checkups with your dentist, and avoid munching on anything particularly hard or sticky. When properly maintained, dental implants can last upwards up 30 years. This is several times longer than traditional bridges and dentures.
Does Getting Dental Implants Hurt?
The jawbone doesn’t have very many nerve endings, and your mouth will be numbed with a local anesthetic before the procedure begins. You will also most likely be sedated, lowering your body’s ability to register pain. Even though your surgery won’t hurt, you may feel some soreness following the procedure. To reduce this, take recommended over-the-counter and prescribed pain relievers as directed by your dentist. Cold compresses can also help. If discomfort worsens after two or three days, give us a call.
Will I Have to Take Off Work for Dental Implant Surgery?
Most patients need to take one or two days off to get dental implants. If your job is physically demanding, you should probably take at least three or four days off, as heavy exercise could divert blood from the implant site and delay healing. However, every case is different, so Dr. Pettigrew will be able to give you a more specific recommendation to meet your individual needs during your consultation.
Do Dental Implants Make You Look Younger?
Yes, the force of biting and chewing spreads through the roots of your teeth to stimulate your jawbone. When a tooth isn’t there, the jawbone loses that stimulation and begins to deteriorate. Because the jawbone can no longer support facial structures, you may eventually appear more wrinkled with a sunken-in face and fine lines around the mouth. Since dental implants are the only type of replacement teeth that stimulate the jawbone, they prevent the bone atrophy that makes you appear older.