26700 Towne Centre Dr #290 Foothill Ranch, CA 92610
Teeth Replacement with Dental Implants
Dental implant surgery is the best way to replace missing teeth. Unlike conventional bridges or dentures, crowns supported by dental implants maintain bone levels, chew like normal teeth, and floss like them, too.
First placed by Dr. Brånemark in 1965, the root form dental implant has undergone substantial advancements in materials, manufacturing, surgical technique, and restorative options.
Most dental implants are machined out of medical-grade titanium, one of the most biocompatible, tissue-friendly materials around. They have been processed with special coatings to speed osseointegration–the healing of bone around dental implants. The osteocytes (bone cells) grow so intimately into the metal, it functionally becomes one with the jawbone. Because of that solid implant connection to the bone, our implant dentist Dr. Vu Le can attach crowns, bridges, and dentures that bite, chew, and floss much more like natural teeth than ever before. And unlike human tooth structure, titanium is impervious to decay. So while bridges and crowns may rot, implant-borne restorations have over a 95% success rate over 10 years.
Replacing Single Teeth with Dental Implants
Most of our implant cases are to replace a single tooth. Local dental implants tend to preserve natural tooth tissue and do not require adjacent teeth for conventional bridgework. These are our favorite cases because they look, feel, and floss just like natural teeth.
The first step is screening: identifying a missing or failing tooth. Implants are the best option for empty spaces, but there are many good options to save teeth that must be ruled out first. This usually requires a visual exam and some X-rays.
If you are a good candidate for a dental implant in Foothill Ranch we refer you to an experienced specialist to further evaluate your case and to place the implants surgically. For more and more cases, a 3D cone beam scan is taken, and your implant is placed virtually on a 3D model of your jawbone to verify the best possible positioning. After the healing process, you return to our office for restoration. The total time for simple implant cases is 4 to 6 months from start to finish.
Same-Day Implant Crowns
One of the newest developments in our office is the arrival of CEREC CAD CAM technology. Select implant crown cases can be scanned, designed, and fabricated right in our office. If the parts are available, we can start and finish custom implant abutments and same-day crowns in a matter of hours instead of weeks. Most of our patients come in for a quick impression scan, then come back in a couple of days. As with all implant dentistry, thorough pre-planning and advanced arrangements are strongly recommended for the best experience.