Dental Implants

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are small titanium posts placed in your jaw during a quick procedure. After placement, the implants fuse with your jawbone, providing a base for crowns, bridges, or implant-retained dentures.

Dental implants are different from other restorations in that they don’t rely on your healthy teeth for support. As a result, they’re easier to clean and care for. What’s more, with routine checkups and optimal oral hygiene, dental implants last decades. 

What are the benefits of dental implants?

Dental implants offer many benefits, including:

• Easier biting and chewing
• Confidence
• Convenience
• Durability
• Clearer speech

Dental implants may even reduce your risk of more serious dental issues. For example, by replacing a missing tooth with a dental implant, you can prevent gum recession and bone loss.  

Who is a candidate to get dental implants?

If you want dental implants, you need healthy gum tissue and enough jawbone to support them. Before recommending implants, Dr. Cucereanu reviews your dental records, conducts an oral exam, and takes digital X-rays.

Let Dr. Cucereanu know if you take prescription medication or have an underlying medical condition, like heart disease. These factors won’t keep you from getting implants, but they may increase your risk of complications.

What does getting dental implants involve?

At the practice of Dr. Dorian Cucereanu, getting implants takes three visits.

First visit

If Dr. Cucereanu determines you qualify for implants, he numbs your mouth with a local anesthetic and inserts a series of dental implants into your jaw. After the procedure, Dr. Cucereanu moves you to a recovery room for observation and provides care instructions.

Second visit

When the dental implants finish fusing with your jaw, you return to Dr. Cucereanu’s practice. 

Dr. Cucereanu takes digital impressions of your mouth with an intraoral scanner and sends them to a nearby dental laboratory. Then, techs at the lab use your impressions to design and create custom restorations, like crowns, bridges, or implant-supported dentures.

Third visit

When the dental lab finishes your custom restorations, you visit Dr. Cucereanu for the last time. Dr. Cucereanu numbs your mouth with an anesthetic and carefully attaches your dental restorations to the implants. After placing the implants, Dr. Cucereanu polishes them and explains how to keep them in optimal condition.

How do I maintain my dental implants?

Clean and care for your dental implants daily. To reduce the risk of damage, Dr. Cucereanu recommends:

• Brushing your teeth twice daily
• Visiting the office every six months for cleanings
• Avoiding bad habits like biting your fingernails
• Not chewing on ice cubes

If you play contact sports, like football or hockey, it’s also important to wear a mouthguard.

To see if you’re a candidate for dental implants, make an appointment at the practice of Dr. Dorian Cucereanu by calling the office or booking online today. 

*Individual results may vary.