For men and women in the San Francisco area who have damaged, loose, or missing teeth, normal daily oral functions can be painful and frustrating, to say the least. And while there are several dental prosthetic options available to those who are suffering in this way, the truth is, dental implants are the best options for replacement teeth – whether you need one or a whole new set of pearly whites.
At SF Oral Surgery, our doctors are fully trained and experienced in implant dentistry. They know that dental implants provide their patients with restored oral function and renewed self-confidence. If you’re wondering what types of implant options you have, keep reading and we will discuss the different types of dental implants.
The 411 on Dental Implants
At our San Francisco practice, our implant dentistry doctors place dental implants, which are biocompatible metal rods, directly into the jawbone in order to create an anchor. In doing so, dental implants act just like natural tooth roots and work to stimulate the jawbone – encouraging it to stay strong, healthy, and maintain its shape. After the dental implants have been placed, one of our doctors will attach abutments on top of the implants. These abutments connect your new prosthetic tooth to your dental implant. Your new dental implants will then need time to fuse to your jawbone, but once this process is complete, our doctors will place your new, permanent crowns and your smile will be complete!
San Francisco patients will learn about the following types of dental implants, and which is appropriate for their specific case, during their implant dentistry consultation with one of our doctors:
• Single Dental Implant and Crown
When San Francisco patients only have one damaged, loose, or missing tooth, or a few missing teeth in various areas of their mouth, our doctors will use a single dental implant and crown to replace the missing tooth or teeth. This implant dentistry option requires one implant, one abutment, and one crown per tooth. Depending on the condition of your gums and jawbone, this entire process can be completed within 3-4 months.
• Partial Prosthesis
In implant dentistry, when a patient has two or more missing adjoining teeth, there are a couple of different options. While patients have the option to have one single dental implant placed for each missing tooth, most patients choose to have a partial prosthesis placed. This restoration does not require one implant per tooth but instead requires only two or three dental implants to provide support.
• Complete Prosthesis
When our doctors at SF Oral Surgery in San Francisco see patients, who have a large number of damaged, loose, or missing teeth, they recommend a complete prosthesis. This implant dentistry approach will replace all the teeth in your upper and lower jaw in one of two ways:
• Overdenture – a removable prosthesis that attaches to a bar or a ball in a socket. This prosthesis can be removed by the patient.
• Fixed Prosthesis – this restoration is permanently implanted into the jawbone, and new dental crowns or bridges are attached.
• All-on-4 Treatment Concept, or Teeth In A Day
One of the most widely used types of dental implants used in the field of implant dentistry is All-on-4 Dental Implants, or Teeth In A Day. These terms indicate a procedure in which our doctors will use 4-6 dental implants to replace the bottom teeth, top teeth, or both arches of teeth completely. This method uses a special technique in which the implants are angled to provide full support of the entire arch.
Choose SF Oral Surgery For Your Implant Dentistry Needs
If you live in the San Francisco area and have been dealing with missing teeth, or teeth that you feel the need to hide, call our office today at (415) 776-6710 to schedule your initial appointment with one of our doctors. In no time, you can be on your way to a new, clean, and healthy smile!
