Why Dental Implants?

Your teeth do not stand alone. They are part of a complex, integrated system. A healthy tooth strengthens the quality of the jawbone and helps prevent bone loss. Missing teeth, on the other hand, can cause the jawbone to shrink, and can result in changes to your facial features. Fortunately, modern dental implants can replace missing teeth, prevent bone resorption, and ensure you have teeth that are strong and look natural. Dental implants are an ideal solution for patients with missing teeth, and have been accepted by dental professionals for over 40 years as a reliable and highly successful method of tooth replacement.

The Surgical Procedure

Following a thorough consultation, patients are ready to have their dental implant placed. During this procedure, Dr. Greeff will place the dental implant in your jaw bone. A healing abutment is then attached to the implant, allowing your gums to heal around the implant and leave space for your permanent abutment and crown. Following placement, the implant typically requires three to six months to fully integrate into your jaw bone. Most patients wear a temporary crown during this time. A soft diet is also recommended as the implant heals.

Once the implant has fully integrated into the jawbone, the second phase begins. Dr. Greeff will remove the healing abutment and place a custom abutment. These act as anchors for the artificial tooth/teeth. Once the artificial teeth are placed, these posts will not be visible.

From start to finish, the dental implant process typically takes six to eight months. Most patients experience minimal disruption to their daily life.

What Types of Prosthesis are Available?

A single prosthesis, known as a crown, is used to replace a single missing tooth. Each prosthetic tooth attaches to its own implant. A partial prosthesis, more commonly referred to as a fixed bridge, can replace two or more teeth and may require only two or three implants. A complete dental prosthesis replaces all the teeth in your upper or lower jaw. A complete prosthesis may be removable or fixed. A removable prosthesis (over denture) attaches to a bar or ball-in-socket gaskets, whereas a fixed prosthesis is screwed into the implants, and only removable by Dr. Greeff.

The number of implants required varies based on which type of prosthesis is recommended for you.

Am I a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

To evaluate if dental implants are a solution that will work well for you, we encourage you to contact us and set up a consultation. During this appointment, you will have the opportunity to meet with one Dr. Greeff, who will evaluate your unique circumstances, create a treatment plan and help you evaluate your options.