Dealing with tooth loss? Our Worth, IL, dental team has the treatment you’re looking for.

Chances are good that you know someone who has one or more false teeth. Tooth loss is actually surprisingly prevalent among adults, and not just older adults. If you are missing one or more teeth, our dentists here at All Smiles are dedicated to giving you the treatment and care you need to rebuild your smile. One of the ways in which we replace missing teeth here in Worth, IL, is with dental implants.

How does dental implant work?

An implant is an artificial tooth root made from a biocompatible metal such as titanium that is incredibly durable and long-lasting. In order for the implant to replace the missing tooth roots, our Worth, IL, dental team will need to surgically place the dental implant into a pre-drilled hole in the jawbone. This surgical procedure is very minor and is performed under local anesthesia. The implant, once it fuses together with the jawbone, provides a stable and permanent structure from which to hold one or more false teeth.

What should I expect when I get dental implants?

The implant process does take time, so it’s important that you understand what goes into getting dental implants so you can decide whether this is the right option for you. Here are the steps that we take to give you your new tooth,

• You will come in for a consultation where we will examine your mouth and run X-rays to make sure you are an ideal candidate for dental implants. We need to make sure there is no active gum disease or decay, and that your jawbone is strong enough to support an implant.
• Like we said above, in order to get an implant, we will need to perform minor surgery to place the implant into the jawbone. It usually takes around 30 minutes to place a single implant. Once this is complete, we will stitch up the gums and give your mouth several months to heal.
• Once the jawbone and implant have fused together (known as osseointegration), you will come back into our office so that we can place a structure called an abutment on top of the implant. This will serve to connect the implant, which lies under the gums, with the false tooth.
• From there, we will give the gums several more weeks to heal and during this time also create a custom dental crown. Once the gums have fully healed, you’ll come back in so that we can check the fit of the crown and then cement it on top of the abutment to complete your implant.

While tooth loss may be more common than we want to admit, the dental team at All Smiles in Worth, IL, is making the process of getting dental implants and other tooth replacement options easier. To learn more about dental implants, call our office at (708) 448-0333 to schedule an appointment.