Dental Implants Look Like Natural Teeth
Dental implants are a popular tooth replacement option that feel, look, and function like natural teeth.
Dental Implants Can Provide a Natural Look
Dental Implants in Topeka KS
Are you missing one or multiple teeth and would love to restore your smile but are put off by dentures? Or, maybe you already have dentures but crave a secure, stable bite that allows you to eat your favorite foods? Whatever your reasons may be, we understand feeling hesitant about replacing your missing teeth.
Because replacing teeth is essential to maintaining the health of your smile, you’ll want to find a tooth replacement option that works well for you. If you’re apprehensive about dentures but still need to fill the gaps in your smile, we recommend dental implants.
Our Topeka dentists, Dr. Carrie Peterson and Dr. Ben Rutherford, love providing dental implants for patients who are interested in restoring their entire tooth from top to bottom.
Dental implants are the only tooth replacement procedure that reproduces a full tooth’s design from the crown to the root. They allow you to replace a single tooth or an entire arch. Their versatility, function, and beautiful look are appealing and attractive. With dental implants, tooth loss isn’t the end of the road, and you can restore a tooth to mimic the look of your natural smile.
At Topeka Dentistry, we provide dental implants to Topeka, KS patients. Whether you’ve been coming to our dental office for years or are a brand new patient, we can schedule you for a dental implant consultation. Call our practice today at (785) 266-9100!
Understanding Dental Implants
Before you can determine whether you want a dental implant, it’s helpful to understand exactly what dental implants are and what they do. Implants are highly recommended among dentists because they are the only artificial tooth replacement in the industry that can truly replace an entire tooth. Other false teeth replicate a tooth crown and give you a cosmetic solution to your missing tooth problem, but no other restoration mimics a natural tooth the way an implant can.
What makes dental implants in Topeka so unique? Their anatomy. Three distinct parts make up each dental implant: a post made from titanium, a connector known as an abutment, and a tooth crown. The titanium post is what sets implants apart, and it’s also what will keep your smile healthier for many years to come.
Natural Tooth Anatomy 101
When you smile, you see the tops, or “crowns,” of your natural teeth. Your teeth poke above your gum line so you can use them for chewing, speaking, and smiling—but much of your tooth’s surface lies below your gums.
The roots of your teeth run deep, and they stay firmly planted in your jaw bone to provide the structure and support your jaw needs to thrive. Without tooth roots integrated into your jaw bone, bone loss will begin, and your jaw will recede. This creates the droopy, sunken look you often see in patients with tooth loss.
Losing teeth is not just an esthetic problem. Each part of each natural tooth plays an important role in your mouth’s overall health, and tooth loss will impact more than just your appearance.
Dental Implant Anatomy 101
When you lose a tooth and become at-risk for jaw bone loss, your body needs an alternative way to strengthen and maintain your jaw structure. This is where dental implants come in.
Your Topeka dentist can place an implant post made from titanium directly through your gum line and into your jaw bone to mimic the structure of your original tooth. Through a process known as “osseointegration,” your body’s natural bone will slowly fuse with the titanium post, surrounding your dental implant in healthy, living bone.
Once your body accepts your dental implant foundation, we are free to attach a strong, beautiful dental crown to the top of it using an attachment piece known as an abutment. A complete dental implant takes the place of the bottom, middle, and top of your natural tooth.
Once placed, dental implants are permanent. Your titanium implant post should last you a lifetime, and depending on how well you care for your tooth crown and how much force you apply while chewing, you can expect the top of your implant to last anywhere from five to fifteen years or more.
The Dental Implant Process
We typically place dental implants over the course of several appointments. Dental implants are not an overnight fix—they take months to fully integrate into your smile and require patience and time to heal. These dental restorations are a significant investment in your smile’s future, but you must be willing to wait and give your body sufficient time to adjust to the new materials.
During your Topeka dental implant evaluation, we begin by taking digital x-rays to determine if there is sufficient bone density in your mouth. Your dental implant dentist may make a 3-D guide using impressions of your teeth, depending on your particular needs.
The high success rate for dental implants is partly due to our use of advanced dental technology to make precise implant placements in the jawbone and create a beautiful dental crown to fit over the implant.
We will then schedule a time to place your titanium post. After your implant dentist in Topeka, KS has successfully embedded the implant into your jaw bone, healing can begin. During your healing process, the bone and titanium screw will fuse together and create a strong root. Typically, it can take four to six months for this stage to finalize.
The next step is visiting us so we can attach the abutment to the implant, which will securely hold the dental crown, bridge, or implant-support denture. Since the dental implant is secured and bonded to your jawbone, you’ll never have to worry about it shifting or falling out. Your tooth functions, feels, and looks just like a natural tooth, allowing you to smile and eat whatever you want.
Last but not least, we will either top your dental implant with a tooth crown or attach it to the restoration of your choosing, such as dentures.
You should go into the dental implant process expecting it to take time and to fully transform your smile. Your finished results will be worth waiting for!
Dental Implants Can Restore Multiple Teeth
One of the best things about dental implants is their versatility and ability to replace a wide range of teeth.
Our highly-skilled cosmetic dentists, Dr. Peterson and Dr. Rutherford, can restore more than one missing tooth after an initial assessment in our Topeka dental office.
If you are missing all your teeth, you might be interested in implant-supported full and partial dentures. This reliable alternative to traditional dentures can improve your quality of life for many years. You also have the option of replacing every missing tooth individually if you prefer to have a smile fully made up of implants.
You will typically have multiple options for restoring your smile after tooth loss. To learn more about which is best for you, call or email our dental implant specialists in Topeka today!
Contact Us to Learn More About Topeka Dental Implants
If you are interested in replacing lost teeth with dental implants at Topeka Dentistry, call us today at (785) 266-9100 to schedule a dental appointment. We can determine if you are a candidate for a bone grafting process or further oral health treatments to keep your smile beautiful and strong during our evaluation.
Super friendly staff and reasonable rates
Super friendly staff and reasonable rates. Dr. Rutherford is great about telling me only what I need to fix and no pressure on fixing other issues. He takes the time to explain things thoroughly also.
– Karen W.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are currently dealing with missing teeth, you might be considering a tooth replacement. At Topeka Dentistry, we offer different options for many dental procedures. Your Topeka dentist can help determine which option is the best for you.
Restoring missing teeth is a benefit to your oral health and general well-being for a variety of reasons. Dental implants are a modern tooth replacement procedure that can create a long-lasting look while preserving your smile.
We use implants to replace a single tooth, multiple teeth, or all of the teeth. Our goal is to restore your teeth and allow you to smile, eat your favorite foods, and speak clearly.
Dental Implants Restore Your Tooth Root
Dental implants are thin titanium posts that we secure into your jawbone. Since they replace your entire tooth down to the root, patients won’t have to worry about their dental implant slipping out of place or falling out.
Additionally, being able to bite down and chew stimulates healthy bone growth and prevents your bone from receding.
Will Dental Implants Hurt?
The procedure is typically comfortable and stress-free. Before the procedure, your Topeka dentist will apply a local anesthetic so that patients do not feel any discomfort. If you feel any stress or anxiety, we invite you to discuss sedation options with us.
Dental implants are a popular tooth restoration procedure that improves your appearance and quality of life.
Benefits of Dental Implants
For some patients, dental bridges and dentures are uncomfortable due to sore spots, a poor fit, or gagging. Dental bridges are held in place by teeth on neighboring sides of the space left by the missing tooth. Dental implants do not require any adjacent teeth to be prepared or adjusted to hold them in place.
During your consultation with Dr. Carrie Peterson or Dr. Ben Rutherford, we will observe your gum health and determine if you have adequate bone structure to support the implant. Patients must commit to keeping up with their oral health and visiting us regularly to keep track of your progress after the procedure.
Many patients love the freedom and security dental implants provide.
When patients lose a tooth there are generally three options to replace that tooth. These options include dental implants, cemented bridges, and removable appliances known as partial dentures. Dental implants are a great option which allow patients to replace missing teeth with ones that look, feel, and perform like their own, natural teeth. Not only do dental implants most closely resemble natural teeth, they help prevent bone loss after tooth loss, and do not require the use of adjacent teeth. Implant dentistry involves the surgical placement of one or more artificial tooth roots known as dental implants. The dental implant replaces the root of the missing tooth. The implant fuses to the bone (a process known as osteointegration) over a 4-6 month period and then a crown is placed to replace the tooth. We are happy to look at your specific situation and see if dental implants are the right choice for you. Simply call our office and we will be happy to schedule an implant consultation.
Missing teeth present both a cosmetic and a functional concern. Cosmetically, missing teeth carry a stigma and people with missing teeth find themselves unfairly judged in many social settings. However, the problem of missing teeth goes far beyond a cosmetic concern. When a tooth or multiple teeth are missing, additional stress is placed on the remaining teeth. This additional stress can cause the remaining teeth to fracture and damage to the bone to take place. This additional strain can lead to pain, the need for more expensive treatment, and additional tooth loss. What is more concerning is that the jawbone begins to shrink after a tooth is removed. Over time, this diminishing bone may lead to changes in your face and cause patients to look prematurely aged. Dental implants allow patients to prevent further damage to their other teeth and to overcome the cosmetic concerns that missing teeth cause. To find out if dental implants can help you prevent further damage to the teeth, call our office and schedule an appointment. We are always happy to discuss this exciting treatment option with our patients.
Most healthy adults are eligible for dental implants. However, some health conditions can change the effectiveness of implants. When you visit our office to discuss dental implants, we will need to ask you a number of questions concerning your health. Even if you do have a health concern, we are likely to still be able to work with you. Once a patient’s health has been evaluated, we will also need to evaluate the amount of bone available for dental implant placement, as well as the amount of space available. Our doctors have the ability to do a 3D scan (CBCT Scan) in our office which allows us to take precise measurements of your bone. If you are interested in learning about dental implants and if they are right for you, please call our office at 785-266-9100.
Meet Our Doctors:
Dr. Carrie B Peterson DDS Owner, Dentist
Although Carrie was born in Texas, she was raised in Southwest, KS. She has lived in Lawrence since 2000 and graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelors Degree …
Dr. Benjamin Rutherford DDS Owner, Dentist
Dr. Rutherford was born and raised right here in Topeka, so he’s always willing to give out recommendations if you ask. He earned his undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree from …
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