When you come to Meadowmont Dentistry for your dental implants or extractions, you can expect an experienced team and a state-of-the-art facility needed to offer the very best in oral surgery, whether routine or complex.

Dental implant procedures are used to replace single teeth, multiple teeth with a bridge, all teeth permanently, or a supported set of removable dentures. These procedures have success rates better than 95%, making them by far the most viable tooth replacement option for many of our patients.

State-of-the-art titanium dental implants are an outstanding long-term option for replacing teeth that have been lost or removed. It’s a surprisingly minor procedure, performed under local anesthesia with or without a sedative, as needed by the patient. The result will be a natural-looking tooth that looks and functions just like the natural teeth around it.

Implants are commonly used to replace missing teeth and improve chewing efficiency. They can boost your confidence and enhance your overall health. It is the healthiest and most satisfying way of replacing missing teeth. The implanted teeth don’t affect your speech or the way you eat. Your jawbone remains healthy and your facial structure won’t be impaired.

Your general health is the focus of our evaluation and planning prior to surgery. During the evaluation we explore the health of mucous membranes, jaw bones, and adjacent, surrounding, and opposing teeth. Certain health conditions can increase the risk of failure, like poor oral hygiene, diabetes, osteoporosis, heavy smoking, and long term use of steroids.

In most cases, dental implants involve inserting a small, screw-shaped titanium post directly into the bone of the jaw to replace the missing tooth’s roots. After a healing period lasting a few months, the post will actually fuse directly to the surrounding bone and form a robust anchor for the custom-made crown that will be attached.

The primary risk following implant surgery is poor oral hygiene which can cause a bacterial infection. Another risk is excessive biting force. Because implants have no specialized connective tissues attaching the tooth to the bone, the patient needs to avoid biting anything hard as they won’t feel any pressure when biting.

Ultimately, you can expect your dental implant and custom-matched crown to last many years with proper oral hygiene and regular dental cleanings and exams.

DENTAL IMPLANTS FOR SENIORS

Losing teeth is a common occurrence for adults over 65 and can cause quality of life issues. Implants are generally a better solution than dentures, because they are more durable and last longer. They are also more natural looking and don’t have many of the chewing and cleaning issues associated with dentures. They will not adversely affect your social life and will give years of enjoyment without limitation.

Even for only a single implant, seniors should have a complete medical check-up in addition to the thorough dental evaluation to make sure their health and jaw bone strength will be sufficient for the surgical procedure. In some cases, bone grafting is recommended. Recovery times may be longer, but healthy seniors would not be expected to have significant complications.

TOOTH EXTRACTION

There are a variety of reasons why a tooth may need to be removed. If we believe that tooth removal is in your best interest, we’ll start with x-rays to examine its position and see if there might be any complications. We’ll assess your medical and drug history and discuss your options for anesthesia with you. During the removal process, we’ll make sure the surrounding tissues aren’t damaged. In some cases, we’ll add bone-grafting material to the socket to preserve proper bone volume.

After your tooth extraction procedure you may experience mild to moderate discomfort or swelling which is normal. Typical over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs should be sufficient to manage these symptoms. In some cases, we may also recommend antibiotics to prevent infection. You may need to ice the jaw and eat softer foods, but you should feel totally normal within a few days.