Dental Implants

Marilyn R. Calvo DDS – Dental Implants Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, LA

Dental Implants

Tooth loss is a common dental problem that is usually caused by tooth decay, periodontal disease, or a traumatic injury. If you do lose a tooth, it is imperative that you get treatment for it as soon as possible. Missing teeth don’t just create holes in your smile, they can also interfere with biting and chewing and cause your remaining teeth to shift and become misaligned. Additionally, they can cause your face to sag, making you look older.

At Smile Studio LA, we specialize in advanced restorative dental techniques like dental implants. Although there are several different options for replacing missing teeth, we recommend dental implants because they don’t rely on nearby teeth for support.

Dental implants are small titanium cylinders that are fused directly into the jaw bone. Once the cylinders are securely in place, individual artificial teeth are anchored to the implants. Dental implants can be used alone or in conjunction with dentures or bridges.

Today’s advanced dental implants are virtually impossible to distinguish from your natural teeth. Dental implants look and feel completely natural because they are set into living bone, just like real teeth are. Sometimes, we can place dental implants within a single visit, but usually they are placed in two phases over several months.

During the first phase, the dental implant fixture is placed into the jaw bone. A small hole called a pilot hole is carefully drilled into the appropriate place, and then is gradually widened to make room for the fixture. A temporary fixture protects the implant while it heals over the next three to six months.

As the jaw heals, the implant becomes firmly anchored into the surrounding bone by a process called osseointegration.

During the second phase of installation, we remove the temporary cover and replace it with a temporary crown to encourage the gums to grow correctly around the implant. Finally, once the implant is completely healed, we place a natural-looking permanent crown on top.

If you are missing teeth, dental implants are a fantastic solution that can restore your natural smile. For more information about dental implants, contact Smile Studio LA at 818-788-1352 today!