Dental Implants in Mahopac
Did you know…
Unlike your natural teeth, dental implants aren’t affected by tooth decay.
How it works: The dental implant placement and restoration process
The Initial Consultation
First, your dentist in Mahopac will meet with you to find out if dental implants are right for your oral health needs. They’ll perform a thorough exam of your mouth, including going over your x-rays and ensuring your jaw bone is healthy enough to support implants. Together, you and your dentist will decide if dental implants will provide the restoration your smile needs, or if your grin would be better suited to alternative restorative options.
Your Oral Surgery Treatment
Once your treatment has been approved, your dentist will schedule your oral surgery appointment and provide a detailed treatment plan. During the procedure, your dentist will make a small opening in your gums and place a small, screw-shaped titanium implant into your jaw. Your dentist will then clean and disinfect the area and suture it closed to begin the healing process.
Healing & Osseointegration
Once your implants have been placed, your gums will begin to heal right away. Most patients heal completely from the initial surgery in less than 2 weeks. However, the implant itself must be given time to permanently bond with the jaw bone through a process“osseointegration,” which can take anywhere between 3-6 months to complete.
Creating the Prosthetic
While your implant is bonding with your jaw, you’ll visit our office for a few follow-up appointments to ensure the healing process is going properly. Your dentist will examine your mouth and take impressions of your bite. These impressions will be sent to our trusted dental lab, where they will craft the custom crown, bridge, or arch of teeth that will eventually be fitted to your dental implant.
Applying the Restoration
Once the lab has sent over your completed prosthetic, and your implant has completely bonded with your natural bone, you’ll visit us again for your final appointment. During this visit, your dentist will complete the procedure by attaching the restoration to your dental implant, and permanently securing it with dental cement or another adhesive.
Maintenance & Aftercare
One of the major advantages to dental implants is that they don’t require specialized care. Just practice good oral hygiene by brushing at least twice a day and flossing daily, and visit your dentist every six months for regular cleanings and oral exams. Keeping up good oral health habits can help your dental implant last a lifetime.
Dental Implant Options
Single Tooth Implants
Single tooth implants are the most-commonly used dental implant, and consist of two primary parts. The dental implant, or post, is a rod made of titanium and shaped like a screw. A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is attached to the implant post, and is used to complete the restoration.
To place a single tooth implant, the post is embedded directly into the jaw, where it bonds permanently with the surrounding bone tissue. While the gum is healing, a dental crown is crafted, and is eventually attached to the implant post with an “abutment.” This dental crown will mirror the shape, function, and appearance of a natural tooth to give your smile a natural look and feel. Made from durable materials, single tooth implants can last for decades, and, unlike a partial denture, will never shift, or move around.
Full-Arch Implants
Full-arch implants are a secure, durable alternative to traditional dentures for those patients who are missing all, or most, of their teeth. By placing a series of 4-6 dental implants per arch, you can enjoy the look and function of a new smile that can stand the test of time.
These dental implants function like artificial roots that allow fixed dental bridges or a set of removable implant-supported overdentures to permanently bond to the jaw and gum line to restore your smile. Full-arch implants look and feel much more natural than traditional dentures, and will never shift or move when you eat or speak.
Dental Implant Placements
At Landman Dentistry by the Lake, we can handle the entire implant process, and this includes implant placement surgery. During your dental implant consultation with Dr. L, he will examine your mouth, and use Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) to capture detailed images of your teeth, gums, and jaw.
With CBCT, it’s easy to determine if you’re a good candidate for dental implants. This also gives Dr. L the opportunity to see if you need additional oral surgeries before your dental implant is placed, such as a tooth extraction for a damaged tooth, or a bone graft to strengthen your jaw bone for a dental implant.
Before your dental implant placement surgery, Dr. L will use your digital scans to develop a comprehensive treatment plan. Dr. L has decades of experience as an implant dentist, so you can trust our team to provide the care you need to permanently restore your missing tooth. And as long as you follow Dr. L’s instructions as you recover from your dental implant placement surgery, you’ll minimize your chances of complications and speed up the healing process.
Dental Implant Restorations
While you’re healing from your dental implant placement surgery, you’ll need to come to Landman Dentistry by the Lake for follow-up appointments. During these appointments, Dr. L will check on your healing and recovery, and make sure your new implant looks healthy and strong.
This is also when Dr. L will begin designing your dental implant restoration. A dental implant restoration is the dental crown, implant-supported bridge, or set of implant-supported bridges that will replace your missing tooth or teeth. With our advanced intraoral scanner, Dr. L can capture a 3D model of the inside of your mouth.
Then, with the help of our partner dental lab, Dr. L will use this 3D scan to develop your dental implant restoration. Whether you’re replacing one tooth, several teeth, or a full mouth of missing teeth, you can trust the team at Landman Dentistry by the Lake to deliver exceptional results. Your dental implant restorations will look, feel, and function just like “real” teeth.
Dental Implant Maintenance
Once you’ve gotten your dental implant surgery and your dental implant restoration, the only thing that’s left is to keep your new tooth healthy. With dental implant maintenance at Landman Dentistry by the Lake, you’ll get peace of mind and protect your investment.
As part of every six-month visit to our office, we include a teeth cleaning, complete with dental implant maintenance for patients who have dental implants. Dental implant maintenance is similar to caring for a natural tooth. Our team will clean the area, examine the implant, and make sure that it’s healthy and free of complications like peri-implantitis, which is a gum infection near the implant.
Dental implants are a big investment, so it’s important to make sure you take care of your new smile. If you’re overdue for a preventive appointment with Dr. L, give us a call now at (845) 628-3200 or contact us now to schedule a consultation. Whether you’ve gotten dental implants from our office or anywhere else, we’ll provide the implant maintenance services you need to keep your new grin in good shape for a lifetime.
Did you know…
Dental implants have the potential to last a lifetime.
Have questions about implant dentistry? Find answers here.
How are dental implants made?
Dental implants are made of two main parts: the implant itself, which is a screw-shaped titanium “post”, and the restorative component, usually a dental crown and abutment. A wide range of post sizes are available to ensure every patient gets an implant that fits their smile perfectly. On the other hand, the restoration is a custom-made prosthetic. Once your dentist has completed the placement of your dental implant, they will create impressions of your teeth and gums to send to a dental lab.
The lab will use these impressions to craft a long-lasting dental implant restoration. Most are crafted out of porcelain or another durable composite material. Once the restoration is complete, the lab will send it back to our office, and you’ll come in for your final visit. Your dentist will complete the restoration by securely affixing your dental prosthetic to your implant.
How long do dental implants last?
Placed properly, and maintained with good oral hygiene habits, dental implants can last for decades. It’s very common for patients to keep their implants for the rest of their lives.
The restoration, on the other hand, may not last as long. Although restorations like dental crowns, bridges, or overdentures are made from durable materials, they are still exposed to regular wear from chewing and biting. Over time, restorations will likely need to be replaced to keep your smile healthy and functional.
Can dental implants get infected?
Although it’s a rare complication, dental implants can become infected. Known as “peri-implantitis,” a dental implant infection is generally the result of the implant not being kept clean or cared for properly after surgery.
To avoid peri-implantitis and maintain your oral health, carefully follow your dentist’s instructions during recovery, and be sure to brush and floss regularly once your implant is healed.
Will dental implants stop bone loss?
Yes. Bone resorption, or bone loss, occurs when your jaw is no longer stimulated by the natural pressure that comes from chewing and biting. Losing a tooth stops this regular stimulation, causing the jaw bone to weaken over time.
Dental implants bond directly with the jaw bone, acting as artificial roots that transmit the force of chewing and biting into your jaw bone, providing stimulation and pressure to keep you from losing bone density.
Can dental implants be done in one day?
There are indeed several types of dental implants that can be completed in a single visit. The restoration will be a temporary appliance to keep your bite functional until you have finished healing from your dental implant placement surgery. With this temporary restoration, you’ll be able to speak and eat normally throughout the healing process.
Throughout the healing process, which usually lasts between 3-6 months, your dentist will schedule a series of follow-up visits, to monitor your progress and to take impressions of your teeth. These impressions will be sent to our dental lab, where they will be used to create your own custom-made restoration, which will be a more permanent, durable, and natural-looking prosthetic than your temporaries.
Implant for Crown & Bridge
Implant for Denture
Did you know…
Dental implants are made of titanium, one of the most durable, and lightest metals.