
Sep
Almost 50 percent of middle-aged Californians have lost at least one tooth because of periodontal (gum disease) or tooth decay. According to the California Department of Public Health, nearly 70 percent of residents 65 and older have undergone a dental extraction because of gum disease or advanced decay (not including wisdom teeth extractions). The good news is that over the years, there have been revolutionary advances in tooth restoration technology, such as dental implants, which are the most realistic-looking and durable replacement treatments available. And Dr. Kenneth Childers of Montclair Dental Care is an outstanding dental implant dentist with years of experience.
With dental implants, you can have a single tooth or all of your upper and lower teeth replaced. The implant is designed to serve as a tooth root that melds with your jawbone. The implant is placed into your jawbone in a very straightforward procedure that takes place in our office.
And while the process is fairly standard, it still requires a dentist with excellent skills and a considerable amount of planning. It’s very important for dentists to place a dental implant precisely. Once placed, the implant will serve as a sturdy anchor for the crown Dr. Childers will later connect to it.
Implants are also used to anchor bridges and dentures, allowing patients to replace whole sections or arches of teeth. With implants, patients who wear dentures no longer have to worry about slippage issues as their restorations are now held in place by an implant that’s fused into their jawbone.
Since the implant constitutes the costliest part of the treatment process, Dr. Childer’s expert strategic placement saves many of his patients the additional cost of more implants than is absolutely necessary. Plus, this technique minimizes the number of incisions he’ll have to make to place your implants. The doctor’s expertise alone can make your implant procedure more efficient and comfortable, with minimal discomfort.
Should Dr. Childers determine that you are fit to receive implant-supported bridges, crowns, or dentures, the procedure usually involves examining your underlying bone. Dr. Childers will also discuss pain-management options to help make your implant placement as painless as possible.
After the implant is placed in your jawbone, it will naturally fuse with the bone over time, becoming a part of your jaw. After completing this process, Dr. Childers will place a prosthetic tooth on your implant. There are several designs for implant-retained systems, and the doctor will be happy to tell you about them during your visit.
Once your implant is ready for your permanent crown, you’ll revisit the office to have it placed, and your new tooth will look and feel like you were born with it. Implants can last a lifetime, as we have many patients who’ve had theirs for over 40 years!
To learn more about teeth implants and to see if this innovative tooth restoration is right for you, call Montclair Dental Care at (510) 328-7792 to set up your consultation with Dr. Childers today. Our office address is 6116 Merced Avenue, Oakland, CA, 94611.