Quality Dental Implants, The Next Best Thing to Real Teeth

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. 

How Implants Work

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. 

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.

What Sets Implants Apart from Other Prosthetics

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:

• Comfort: The titanium screw is implanted into your jaw permanently to provide the same security and stability as a real tooth root. That means your replacement teeth won’t slip or slide when you talk, laugh, or eat. As titanium is a biocompatible material, the implant won’t irritate or harm your gums or jaw.
• Natural-looking appearance: Implants closely resemble the shape and composition of natural teeth, giving your new smile a completely natural-looking appearance.
• Functionality: Implants restore your ability to chew and speak, so you can eat with confidence and socialize with others without worrying about your teeth coming loose or falling out accidentally!
• Improved oral health: Implants make it easy to keep your teeth clean. This reduces plaque build-up, which can lead to cavities. Implants also keep remaining teeth from shifting, which preserves your bite and the alignment of your natural teeth.

To learn more about our dental implant treatment, contact Dr. Richard Flores in Willoughby, OH, at (440) 856-8774.