Replacing Missing Teeth with Natural-looking Dental Implants Near Me

Living without teeth can lead to numerous effects on your physical and mental health. Thankfully, several replacement options exist whether you’ve lost teeth to injury, disease, or cavities. Douglas Hoppe DDS in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, recommends dental implants if you want a permanent solution for tooth loss. 

Dental implants are surgically rooted in the jawbone (like natural teeth), giving you a lifetime of a great smile and good oral health. 

What are dental implants?

Thanks to technological advancements, patients can now enjoy more predictable, natural-looking, and durable teeth replacements. Dental implants are designed to mimic your natural teeth using three components: the implant fixture, abutment, and prosthetic.

The implant is a titanium post surgically embedded in the jawbone to act as a tooth root. Once inserted, this titanium fixture integrates with the jawbone to form one biological structure through osseointegration. While the implant remains buried beneath the gumline, it requires an abutment that protrudes above it to link it to a dental prosthetic. This tooth prosthetic can be a crown, bridge, or denture, depending on the number of teeth being replaced.  

Dental implant options

The beauty of dental implants is that they can be used to replace any number of missing teeth in the mouth. 

The dental implant options available for different tooth loss situations include:

• A single implant: A dental implant can effectively replace a single tooth anywhere in the mouth, whether in the front or back. This solution involves the placement of a lifelike crown, ensuring your tooth looks natural. Unlike bridges or partials, there’s no requirement for healthy neighboring teeth to support the gap. Dental implants are independent restorations firmly anchored by being surgically inserted into the jawbone
• Multiple implants: Have you lost more than one tooth? Dental implants can fill those gaps by using dental crowns, restoring your smile’s aesthetics and functionality
• All-on-X dental implants: If you have lost several or all your teeth in the mouth, dental implants can still come to your rescue. Even better, dental implants can replace an entire arch of teeth or both, using four to six implants per jaw. These implants are placed strategically in the mouth to support a bridge or denture

Permanently attached teeth can’t move or fall out, giving you the freedom to eat, smile, and talk confidently. Moreover, dental implants don’t need replacements in the future, allowing you to indefinitely enjoy the benefits of a complete smile.  

What to expect from dental implant procedure

Placing dental implants requires about six to nine months for complete restoration. Like every procedure, the first step for a dental implant is consultation. This initial step helps determine your eligibility for implants by examining your oral health and overall well-being. 

Once given the green light for dental implants, the rest of the procedures involve:

• Using anesthetics and sedation dentistry to make you comfortable before oral surgery
• Implant surgery to embed the titanium post in the jawbone
• Leaving the implant for four to six months to osseointegrate with the bone
• Placing an abutment
• Capping off your implant(s) with a prosthetic
• Maintaining your smile to enjoy lifetime benefits

Dental implants are the most natural-looking teeth replacements. Once placed, no one will notice you ever lost teeth. Dental implants also restore oral function (chewing, talking, and smiling) to near-perfect. What’s not to love about dental implants?

Ready to get started with dental implants in Eaton Rapids, MI? Please call (517) 667-7066 to schedule an appointment with Douglas Hoppe DDS.

Share this Article