Dental Implants Look and Feel Like Natural Teeth!

Dental implants are durable, tooth-like replacements for missing teeth. Dr. Crumpton is very experienced in implant dentistry and performs the entire dental implant from placement of the fixture and post to placing the crown.

In many cases, with the use of advanced CEREC technology, he can perform the whole procedure in just one visit!

What is a Dental Implant?

A dental implant is a tooth that feels and functions like a natural tooth. It is used where there are missing teeth. It is commonly composed of a titanium metal screw and a ceramic crown. Not only does a dental implant fill unsightly gaps in a smile, they are also important to deter bone loss.

Using Technology for Quality, Comfortable Treatment

To devise the best treatment plan for you, we first complete a medical and dental history and a thorough oral examination, including x-rays.

The placing of the post is performed in our office using a local anesthetic. Depending upon your individual situation, other types of anesthesia may be used to ensure your comfort.

The tooth restoration part of the dental implant (the crown) is made in Dr. Crumpton's lab using breakthrough CEREC 3D technology (high-quality ceramic restorations) to create a tooth that matches your other teeth in shape and color.

CEREC restorations are milled from a single block of high-quality ceramic, a substance which is particularly compatible with the body and has the same characteristics as normal, healthy dental enamel.

Dr. Crumpton is an expert in CEREC technology and trains other dentists in the use of ceramic for restorations.

One-Visit Dental Implants

If your bone structure is adequate, and bone-grafting is not required, Dr. Crumpton can place the permanent dental implant, post and tooth restoration, in one visit. This is significantly less time a temporary crown is not needed while the permanent crown is being manufactured.

Dental Implants Look and Feel Like Natural Teeth

Benefits of dental implants

Dental implants are often a better option for missing teeth than either bridges or dentures. Dentures have the following disadvantages compared to dental implants:

• Increased self-confidence. Because dental implants function remarkably like natural teeth, most people who get them experience a sense of self-confidence once they realize they can again chew, talk, laugh and smile with confidence.
• Good biting pressure—eat any foods you want. Healthy teeth are able to absorb over 500 pounds of biting pressure per square inch. If you've worn dentures for a long time, that pressure may be diminished significantly, to one-tenth that of natural teeth. Dental implants emulate healthy teeth and if placed after wearing dentures can often restore the amount of pressure that can be withstood to nearly the same level of healthy natural teeth.
• Deter further tooth and bone loss. Without an anchoring root, natural or placed, in the jaw bone, the bone in the jaw deteriorates which can cause other teeth to loosen.
• Comfort and fit. Because your replacement teeth are anchored securely to the implants in your jawbone, they can't slip and slide like dentures can. Nor will they make embarrassing clicking sounds.
• Permanently fixed and won't loosen as with dentures.
• No nightly care and adhesives needed.
• Longevity and reliability. With proper oral hygiene and care, scientifically tested and approved dental implant systems have been shown to last 20 years plus with few complications.

Dental implants have certain advantages compared to bridge:

• No need to cut down adjacent teeth.
• Deter further tooth and bone loss. Without an anchoring root, natural or placed, in the jaw bone, the bone in the jaw deteriorates which can cause other teeth to loosen.
• Recurrent decay, periodontal (gum) disease and other factors often doom fixed bridgework to early failure. For these reasons, fixed bridges usually need to be replaced every seven to 15 years, compared to a 20-plus life span for dental implants.

Are you a candidate for Dental Implants?

If you face the loss of one or several teeth or if you're dissatisfied with dentures or other options available to you, you may find that dental implants are right for you.

Age is not typically a major factor; successful dental implants have been performed on young people as well as the elderly.

During your initial consultation, we'll help you decide. In general, we look for the following characteristics:

• General good health.
• Healthy gums.
• Sufficient underlying jawbone to support the implants.

People who are not good candidates for dental implants include:

• Young patients whose jawbones have not fully developed.
• Pregnant women.
• Patients who take certain medications such as steroids or drugs that suppress the immune system.
• People with existing medical conditions. If you can have routine dental treatment, you can generally have an implant placed. While precautions are advisable for certain conditions, patients with such chronic diseases as high blood pressure and diabetes are usually successful candidates for dental implant treatment.

Dr. Crumpton can evaluate you to see if you would be a good candidate to receive implants. Call 817-491-3344 to schedule your free dental implant evaluation or click here to schedule online.

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