Consider dental implants if you’ve lost one or more permanent teeth due to trauma, poor oral hygiene, or extractions. At Smile By the Station Dentistry in Seattle, Washington, cosmetic and family dentist Ok Kyu Lee, DDS, and the team specialize in placing and restoring dental implants. Dental implants feel like your natural teeth. What’s more, with routine checkups and proper hygiene, they often last a lifetime. Call Smile By the Station Dentistry to schedule a dental implant consultation today, or book your appointment online.
Dental implants and dentures both replace your natural teeth, but they aren’t the same thing:
Dental implants are small titanium posts inserted into your tooth sockets. They integrate with your upper or lower jaw after placement and provide a foundation for crowns, bridges, or implant-retained dentures.
Dentures are removable oral appliances that replace some (or all) of your teeth. Dentures rest on top of your gums. You apply a special glue to the bottom to prevent them from shifting out of position.
Dental implants offer various benefits, including:
Dental implants improve your oral health. They reduce the risk of gum recession and bone loss.
You need healthy gums and jaw bones to get dental implants. If you have periodontal disease or low bone volume, the Smile By the Station Dentistry team addresses those issues first.
Let your provider know if you have an underlying medical condition like heart disease or diabetes. These problems won’t keep you from getting implants, but they increase the risk of surgical complications, so it’s important the team is aware.
Getting dental implants takes at least three appointments spaced several months apart.
At the first appointment, your dentist numbs your mouth and inserts the implants into your empty tooth sockets. After placement, your dentist takes digital scans of your mouth and covers the metal posts with temporary restorations, like crowns or bridges.
It takes several months for the dental implants to fuse with your upper and lower jaw. During this time, drink plenty of fluids, take your medication as prescribed, and be very gentle when biting and chewing.
A dental laboratory uses digital scans of your mouth to create custom dental restorations, like crowns or implant-retained dentures.
Once the restorations are finished, you return to Smile By the Station Dentistry. Your provider replaces your temporary implant restorations with permanent ones. Then, they check your bite, polish your teeth, and provide care instructions.
Call Smile By the Station Dentistry today to schedule a dental implant appointment, or book your visit online.