Implants

Are you tired of having gaps in your smile? Do you tend to favor chewing on one side of your mouth because you have missing teeth on the other side?

Some dentists place dental implants. Some dentists restore dental implants. Are you looking for a dentist that can place AND restore dental implants in Austin, TX? Don't worry about your dentist and your oral surgeon playing the blame game is something doesn't fit. At Austin Smile Center, everything is controlled in house to minimize your worries.

Don't get stuck with an implant that can't be restored. Demand a restorative dentist place your implant! see www.implantdirectory.com

Dental implants are titanium screws that are placed in the jaw. They function like the tooth roots that were once there. Once the bone integrates with the implant, an abutment is screwed onto the implant, and then a crown is placed on the abutment. You now have a brand new tooth in your head that you can brush and floss just like a regular tooth.

Schematic drawing of a dental implant. Astratech implants Each dental implant is custom ordered to fit your jaw.

Why not just place a bridge? A bridge is basically two crowns with a dummy tooth in the middle to fill the space. All three teeth are connected so that you cannot floss in between them. There is a way to clean underneath a fixed bridge using a floss threader, but few patients do this and the bridge gets cavities in a few years. With an implant, you retain the ability to floss normally, so that you can take better care of your investment (your mouth!). Most dentists place bridges to fill these spaces. Why? Because that's how they were trained 20 or 30 years ago! There were no dental implants in 1980, but you don't have to put old technology in your mouth. Insist on the best!

Dental implant in position, the custom abutment is placed, then the crown in cemented.

Can't I just fill the space with a denture? Yes, if that's what you really want. Remember, the old adage: you get what you pay for. Not many people these days are opting for the removable denture. Its ugly, disgusting, and it may make you feel older than you really are. Implant placement and restoration is one of the fasting growing facets of dentistry today.

Recession of 2008 Special

Free ZOOM! in office whitening

when we place and restore your dental implant.

implant body must be placed by June 31, 2008.

Thanks for making Austin Smile Center your #1 source for quality dentistry!

Sounds expensive Some people think they're a bargain when you consider the quality of life issue. People used to laugh at paying $10 a pill for Viagra, too. Give Austin Smile Center a call so we can set up an appointment to assess your individual needs.

Sounds painful It's not! Most people say that the extraction of the original tooth actually hurt more! Most surgeries are done with just local anesthetic. Extra sedation is available if needed. After the surgery, there is no bone exposed, and the gums are sewn tight. There will always be some swelling, but Advil does a great job controlling that!

Any drawbacks? It may take six months or more to get a new tooth. There needs to be adequate healing of the bone to support the new tooth. Sometimes we can restore a front implant after a couple of months or even immediately, but a big chewing tooth in the back may need longer. The wait is worth it, though, as our goal is a lifetime of chewing!

Call one of our offices today to set up a free 15-minute consultation to see if you are a good candidate for dental implant therapy. You can find more info at American Dental Association or Nobel implants