Dental Implants Specialist

Crystal Dental of Fresno

General Dentistry & Cosmetic Dentistry located in Fresno, CA

If you’re looking for a sturdy and durable solution to missing teeth that won’t restrict your diet, dental implants might be the choice for you. At Crystal Dental of Fresno in Fresno, California, Diana Correa-Velosa, DDS, and her team surgically place your dental implants and let them fuse with your jawbone before designing custom devices like crowns and bridges to fit over them. To find out more about dental implants, call Crystal Dental of Fresno or request an appointment online today.

Dental Implants Q&A

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are titanium replacement roots that hold artificial teeth into your jawbone. They are the longest-lasting and strongest option for tooth replacement available today. 

The titanium implant looks like a small screw. Your dentist surgically places it into your jawbone after taking X-rays and other images to view the bone and find the best position for the implant. For a couple of months after the surgery, your bone grows around the implant and bonds with it. Once this process is complete, the team attaches a piece called an abutment and starts the process of making your custom crown, bridge, or set of dentures. 

What types of dental implants can I get?

The type of implant you get depends on the number of teeth that you lose. You can get implants to support individual crowns, bridges, or dentures:

Crowns

If you’re only missing one tooth, a single implant can hold the crown in place. This procedure has a high success rate, and it feels almost exactly like having a natural tooth again. 

Bridges

If you have more than one missing tooth in a row and don’t want to rely on healthy teeth to support a bridge, you can get two dental implants to support your bridge instead. 

Dentures

If you’re missing all of your teeth in the upper or lower row, you can get four dental implants to hold a row of new teeth. This device can be fixed or removable. If you get implants to support a removable denture, your dentures will fit for a longer period of time because the implants help preserve the bone. 

How should I care for my dental implants?

Dental implant care mainly relies on diligent oral hygiene. Thankfully, your implants and their crowns or bridges require the same care as your natural teeth. You should brush your teeth and devices twice daily using the proper brushing technique, and you should also floss between them once a day. 

Excessive biting can cause your implant to lose its attachment to your bone over time. Even though this isn’t common, you should avoid clenching or grinding your teeth. The team at Crystal Dental of Fresno can fit you for a night guard to protect your implants if you tend to grind your teeth at night.

To find out more about dental implants and their benefits, request an appointment by phone or online today.