Restore the Look and Feel of Your Natural Teeth
Dental Implants Austin
Dental implants provide the most stable, natural-looking solution to missing teeth available today. Many patients choose dental implants because they are long-lasting, and support prosthetics—in the form of crowns, bridges, or full sets of dentures—that are designed to look and feel exactly like natural teeth. Patients can chew, speak and smile with confidence, knowing that their dental replacements won’t slip or slide around in their mouths. So not only do patients look like themselves with dental implants—they feel like themselves, too.
If you are interested in restoring missing teeth with dental implants, contact Dr. Robert Wootton in Austin, Texas today, where he performs a full range of general and cosmetic procedures to meet all your dentistry needs.
Benefits of Dental Implants
At Midtown Dental Associates, we believe that educating our patients allows them to make informed decisions about pursuing treatment. It is important to understand that, in addition to the aesthetic benefits that come from replacing missing teeth, dental implants also carry a number of important health advantages.
If missing teeth are not replaced, remaining teeth may shift within the jaw, altering the patient’s bite. Changes to the bite, known as malocclusion, can cause difficulty speaking and chewing, and may cause pain associated with TMJ dysfunction.
With time, gaps created by missing teeth may also make the mouth more vulnerable to the build-up of bacteria, ultimately leading to further tooth loss. Without a tooth to support, the health of underlying periodontal tissues and jaw bone may begin to decline.
Replacing missing teeth not only restores the aesthetics of your mouth; it also protects it against further damage. So while you’re showing off your smile, feel empowered knowing that you’re taking control of your oral health.
Placing Dental Implants
Although the process of placing dental implants may seem lengthy at first, a tremendous number of patients find the stability of fixed, natural-looking tooth restorations well worth the additional investment of time. After all, with proper care, restorations anchored by dental implants can remain intact for up to 40 years.
Dental implants are placed during a series of outpatient procedures, over the course of several months. During the first surgery, Dr. Wootton will make an incision in the gum in order to reveal the bone of the jaw, where a hole will be drilled into the edentulous jaw site (the space in your jaw where the tooth is missing). The titanium screw, which will serve as a root for your dental prosthetic, is inserted into this hole, and then covered by gum tissue which is sutured into place. Over the next two to six months, the titanium screw with fuse with the jawbone through a process known as osseointegration, which is what gives dental implants their unmatched stability.
Once your mouth has healed, Dr. Wootton will perform a second procedure to uncover the titanium root and attach an abutment, which will secure your crown or prosthetic tooth. Because it takes time for a dental laboratory to custom-craft your replacement tooth, you will be fitted with a temporary crown in the meantime.
In approximately three weeks, when your permanent restoration is ready, you will return to Midtown Dental Associates for your final procedure. Once Dr. Wootton attaches the permanent crown to the abutment of the implant post, you will be able to immediately enjoy the results of your procedure.
Our practice is dedicated to providing an exceptional quality of patient care throughout every step of your treatment. If you have any questions about the dental implants procedure, please feel free to contact our Austin practice.
Maintaining Dental Implants
We believe wholeheartedly in educating patients about proper home care, so that the exceptional results they receive at our practice will be both effective and long-lasting. With good care, restorations anchored by dental implants can remain intact for up to 40 years.
Because dental implants rely on healthy jaw bones and surrounding gums to remain fixed and stable, a thorough oral hygiene regimen is of the utmost importance in extending the life of your restorations. In fact, regular brushing and flossing will actually help the titanium implant fuse with the jawbone, ensuring a sturdy foundation that simulates the strength of natural teeth.
Learn More about Dental Implants
Restore the health and appearance of your mouth with attractive, reliable dental implants! Contact Midtown Dental Associates in Austin, Texas today to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Wootton, or to learn more about this effective, long-lasting solution for missing teeth.
