Implants

What is a Dental Implant

A dental implant is a titanium rod designed to fuse with your jawbone to function like a natural tooth root. 

Three pieces must be made and placed to give you a new artificial tooth: the implant, abutment, and crown. 

Implant: The first piece placed is the dental implant. The implant is a metal rod that we surgically place into your jawbone, where a natural tooth was formerly located. Once healed, the implant will act as the new root of your tooth, providing a strong and stable foundation. The implant will stimulate the bone and surrounding tissues while you chew, preventing deterioration. 

Abutment: The middle abutment is the connecting piece between the implant and the tooth crown. The dental crown wouldn’t stay firmly placed onto the implant without the abutment. 

Tooth Crown: Crowns are placed on top of an implant to give you a new outer tooth. Each crown is designed to fit perfectly onto the implant and in your mouth. It will perfectly match the size and shade when compared to your natural surrounding teeth. The crown can only be placed once your surgical site has completely healed. 

Why an Implant?

There are many reasons why you want a dental implant. For one thing, implants are considered the gold standard of restorative dentistry. They look and function just like your natural teeth. They are easy to care for and last for many years. In addition, they include the following benefits:

• Missing a tooth can cause a patient to feel self-conscious about their smile and even lose confidence regarding their overall appearance. Replacing that gap in your smile with a new, personalized, artificial tooth can restore your smile and confidence in no time. 
• You may not know it, but losing a tooth and neglecting to replace it can negatively affect oral health. When missing a tooth, surrounding teeth are likely to move to fill in the space. This movement can create misalignment and even crookedness in other natural teeth. Implants will prevent this.
• Because each piece of the dental implant is artificial, it can’t decay and will not need further restoration. We still urge our patients with dental implants to brush and floss their teeth well to prevent issues. 

What is the Process?

At Oak Hollow Family Dentistry, we pride ourselves on providing excellent care throughout each step of the dental implant process.

The prospect of dental implant placement can be daunting for some patients. However, the process is much smoother than you might expect. 

There are several essential steps involved with dental implant placement that our experienced team will walk you through:

1. Dr. Hoffman will assess your oral health and determine if you are a good candidate for a dental implant.
2. We will create a custom treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. During the placement procedure, we will carefully insert a small titanium post into your jawbone, serving as the foundation for your new tooth. Over a few months, the post will fuse with your jawbone, creating a stable base for your new tooth.
3. We will attach a natural-looking crown to the post, giving you a beautiful, functional smile. 

Dental Implants in Draper, Utah

You might have heard about dental implants if you’re missing or have damaged teeth that need to be removed. Dental implants are artificial tooth roots placed into your jaw to support a dental crown or bridge. They look and feel like natural teeth and can help restore your smile and confidence.

For anyone missing a tooth or looking for a restoration option for tooth extraction, we highly recommend taking advantage of dental implants. For any questions, we encourage you to contact our office, Oak Hollow Family Dentistry, here in Draper, Utah. Each team member wants to help you have your desired smile, so please let us help you!