Dental Implants in North Ridgeville, North Royalton & Columbus, OH

What are dental implants?

When decay or damage has compromised the health of a tooth, and repair with a filling or crown is not an option, it may be necessary to remove and replace the tooth. Dental implants are fixed dental prosthetics, which your dentist installs directly into the jawbone and then attaches a restoration to replace a missing tooth. 

Unlike partial and complete dentures, dental implants are not removable, which means they more closely resemble your natural teeth, and won’t shift or move within your mouth when you speak or eat throughout the day. Dental implants can replace a single tooth or multiple teeth, when appropriate.

What is the process of getting a dental implant?

If your dentist at McCormack Dental Group determines a dental implant is the best treatment plan for you, the procedure takes a series of visits. The first step is to evaluate the health of your underlying bone and gum tissues, as well as the surrounding teeth. 

McCormack Dental Group uses X-rays as well as cutting-edge technology known as cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) to do this. A CBCT scan can create a fully three-dimensional model of your teeth, soft tissues, bone, and nerve pathways in a matter of minutes.

After your X-rays and CBCT scans are complete, your dentist places the root implant — a small titanium post — directly in your jawbone. Over the next few weeks or longer, the jawbone heals around this titanium post, securing the implant in the bone. 

Once the root implant is securely in place, your dentist attaches a small connector post called an abutment to the top of the implant, which supports a false tooth, or crown, designed to mimic the color and shape of your real teeth as closely as possible.

What is bone and gum grafting?

Sometimes a tooth that needs replacement with an implant is surrounded by weakened or compromised bone and gum tissue, which makes it difficult to securely install an implant. In these cases, it may be necessary to graft healthy bone or gum tissue to strengthen the area and prepare it to support a titanium root. 

Bone grafting can help restore the natural shape of your face after long-term tooth decay, and gum grafting can prevent many of the complications caused by receding gums such as root sensitivity.

To learn more about dental implants and whether they’re the right treatment for you, call McCormack Dental Group today to make an appointment, or use the online scheduling tool.