Dental implants continue to be one of the most popular ways to replace one or more teeth in the smile. These titanium posts function just like natural teeth and are restored with crowns, bridges, or dentures. However, dental implant surgery is required to ensure the implant is put into the proper place and can be restored to look as natural as possible. Let’s take a closer look at dental implants and the procedure needed for placement and restoration.
Where can I obtain the best care for dental implants in my area?
If you are in need of dental implant placement or other services in Encinitas, we invite you to connect with our dentist at Pearlmax Oral Surgery of San Diego, California to discuss your options. We prepare and place dental implants, including surgery. Many of the patients who are referred to our practice by their primary dentist will often understand the goals of dental implants and have likely already been evaluated to ensure they are proper candidates.
How do dental implants work?
Dr. German Trujillo of Pearlmax Oral Surgery describes a dental implant as a tooth root replacement. When teeth are lost, the jawbone can shrink and cause changes to the smile. Dental implants address this issue by stimulating bone growth through osseointegration, where the bone of the jaw grows around and fuses with the implant post. Once this process is complete, a restoration like a crown, bridge, or full denture can be affixed on top to replace the missing tooth or teeth.
What is the dental implant surgery process and timeline?
Dental implant surgery typically takes place in stages over several months with the team at Pearlmax Oral Surgery. The first step involves preparing the area for placement by making an incision in the gum tissue and creating a small hole in the jawbone. The titanium implant post is then carefully placed into this hole, and the gum tissue is sutured close. Over the next few months, osseointegration occurs, and the implant post becomes securely fused to the jawbone. Once this process is complete, an abutment is placed on top of the post, and a custom restoration can be attached.
The timeline for dental implant surgery may vary depending on the individual’s healing times and any additional dental procedures that may be required, such as bone grafting. However, for most of our patients, the entire process can take anywhere from three to nine months.
Am I a candidate for dental implants?
Working with a tooth surgeon “near me” to determine candidacy starts with an evaluation and consultation visit. Call (858) 434-7554 to request a visit with Dr. German Trujillo and his team at 4520 Executive Drive, Suite #220.
Our facility is conveniently located in San Diego, California, but serves those in and around the local communities, including Encinitas, California. Additionally, he accepts patients who have been referred to his practice by local dentists in the area, providing dental implant surgery and other oral and maxillofacial surgery services under one roof!