If tooth decay or extraction has knocked a tooth out of your smile, you may be left with an unaesthetic smile and reduced function in your mouth. In addition to feeling socially awkward, you may also have to deal with neighboring teeth shifting their positions, which can lead to alignment issues, chips, and fractures. Dr. Todd A. Williams may suggest dental implants to permanently replace missing teeth.
Before working on placing your dental implant, our team will assess the structure of your jaw to if the remaining bone material is sufficient to support a dental implant. If there is not enough bone structure, we may need to first perform a bone graft to replace the missing structure.
To receive your dental implant, you will first visit an oral surgeon, who will carefully create incisions in your gums to form a narrow channel into the jawbone. This channel allows the surgeon to screw a titanium implant in the bone and then suture your gums closed. Many dental professionals use titanium because it’s proven to be biologically safe and can fuse with the natural bone to create a strong bond for the dental crown that will follow.
After a period of healing for your gums and to allow the implant to integrate with the bone tissues, Dr. Todd A. Williams will create an impression that we send to a dental lab to have your dental crown custom crafted from porcelain or metal material. Porcelain is ideal if you want a dental crown that matches your natural tooth color.
If you have lost a tooth in your smile, we encourage you to contact Williams and Williams Facial and Oral Surgery at 214-691-0101 today to schedule an appointment with our oral surgeons and determine if you need a dental implant in Dallas, Texas.