Dec
Losing one or more teeth poses a risk to your remaining teeth, as every tooth is essential to your oral health. One lost tooth can lead to shifting of other teeth, changes in your bite, and increased wear on the other remaining teeth, while also leaving you with unsightly gaps in your smile. Replacing missing teeth with implants can resolve current and future tooth loss issues. Teeth implants are the next best thing to natural teeth when it comes to restoring your smile. At the office of Rich Flores, DDS, LLC, your implant dentist, we offer quality dental implants to patients in Willoughby, Ohio, residents, and surrounding communities.
Getting teeth implants is a process that can take anywhere between 3 to 6 months to complete. First, Dr. Rich Flores will examine your mouth, teeth, gums, and jaw to see if you’re a good candidate for implant treatment. If so, we’ll review the process with you and schedule your surgery.
Dental implants are composed of three main parts: a titanium screw (known as the implant), a metal abutment, and a dental crown. The screw is implanted into your jaw surgically, in the gap where your tooth used to be. Over a period of 3-6 months, your implant integrates into your jaw bone to become your new tooth root. Once your gum has healed, Dr. Flores will place an abutment on top of the implant to hold a dental crown, which takes the place of your lost tooth.Â
Upon completion of your treatment, the only part people see is the dental crown, i.e., your new tooth. We recommend zirconia (metal-ceramic mixture) crowns for implants as they exude an attractive, natural-looking appearance. Dr. Flores can customize your crown to look just like your natural teeth so that it blends in perfectly with your smile.
Although dentures and bridges have their place as restorative dental treatments, they can’t match the restorative properties of implants. Teeth implants are the only prosthetics that replace missing teeth and their roots to give them the look, feel, and function of natural teeth. Quality dental implants offer the following advantages over dentures and bridges as replacement teeth:
To learn more about our dental implant treatment, contact Dr. Richard Flores in Willoughby, OH, at (440) 856-8774.
Dr. Rich Flores
Rich Flores, DDS, has over ten years of experience in private dentistry. He graduated from Saint Ignatius High School and attended Allegheny College in Meadville, PA, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Biology. He then attended the Ohio State University College of Dentistry and entered private practice in Columbus, OH, immediately upon graduation.
Dr. Rich believes in compassionate, quality dental care in a comfortable setting and treats patients as if they are family. He is a member of the American Dental Association, Ohio Dental Association, and Cleveland Dental Society and is certified in Invisalign and dental implants.