Frequently Asked Questions
About Dental Implants

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If you are interested in receiving dental implants, you might have questions about placement procedures and maintenance. Here are answers to common questions.

What Are Dental Implants?

Older gentleman holding a hand mirror and sitting in a dental chair smiling

A tooth that has become badly infected often needs to be removed to prevent the infection from spreading. A tooth extraction is considered the most invasive of all dental procedures since it does completely remove the tooth. However, dental implants are one of the top dental procedures to consider.

Dental implants are considered an ideal replacement for a missing tooth. Using a titanium screw, it is surgically positioned into the jawbone. The jawbone will fuse with the titanium, becoming strong enough to support a tooth. Once the jawbone has fused with the titanium, a dentist will be able to create a false tooth that is attached to an abutment on the titanium implant. Dental implants look and feel like traditional teeth as they are anchored within the bone and will not become loose like dentures and bridges can.


Why See A Periodontist for Dental Implants, Not A General Dentist?

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A Periodontist, like Dr. David R. Scharf, is an expert in the structures that support a tooth – the same structures that will support your dental implant. That makes periodontists specially qualified to provide correctly place dental implants to ensure that they heal well and integrate with the bone as they should. This expertise comes in handy especially if you require tissue regeneration or treatment for gum disease before implants can be placed. In these cases, a general dentist should refer you to a periodontist anyway.

Periodontists are required to complete extra schooling that includes dental implantology and understand that thorough planning is essential for successful implants. This includes proper diagnosis, 3D imaging to assess the quality and quantity of the bone, address gum disease, and a complete treatment plan covering the entire process from beginning to end. Implants can fail as a result of poor placement, but periodontists have the equipment and skills to place or save a failing implant when general dentists cannot.

Why Should I Replace Missing Teeth?

When patients lose their teeth, functionality is diminished, making it hard to chew food properly. Nutrition becomes a problem, which leads to other health concerns. Speaking can be affected if the missing tooth is essential for good diction. The bone usually supporting a tooth’s root is the bone needed to support a dental implant. When a tooth root is missing, the bone structures weaken and begin to resorb into your body. Even your looks will eventually be affected as the bone shrinks, leading to a condition known as facial collapse.

Middle-aged woman sitting in dental chair smiling.

Why Are Dental Implants Better Than Dentures?

In addition to looking completely realistic, implants are durable, firmly anchored, and improve health in the rest of the mouth. Dentures require adhesives to hold them firmly in place and are prone to slipping and even falling out. They can be uncomfortable to wear and sometimes rub your gum tissue until it is sore and painful. When this happens, it requires adjustments and eventually, replacement as your facial structures change. Implants last much, much longer: 20 years or more.

Implants look and feel like your real teeth; they are indistinguishable from your natural teeth, so your beautiful smile can look exactly as it did before the tooth loss. You can eat, speak, and go about your life as normal. Dental Implants prevent bone loss because they are anchored to your bone tissues, and fully integrate with the body’s tissues as they heal.

While dentures require daily removal to be brushed and flossed, they must also be bleached, sanitized, and soaked to stay clean and odor-free. Implants can be cared for as you would care for your natural teeth with regular brushing and flossing.

Ready To Learn More?

If you think that dental implants sound like something that would work for you, schedule a consultation with Dr. Scharf today. We will do everything to ensure all your questions are answered, provide a treatment plan, and discuss what you can expect every step of the way.

Book your appointment today

Call our office at (631) 661-6633