DENTAL IMPLANTS
Dental Implants
The gold standard for replacing missing teeth. A fixed, permanent restoration that looks, feels, and functions like a natural tooth.
The gold standard for replacing missing teeth. A fixed, permanent restoration that looks, feels, and functions like a natural tooth.
Many patients experience tooth loss from trauma, periodontal disease, root fractures, or cavities that advance too far. The impact reaches beyond smiling and eating. Neighboring teeth shift into the gap, muscular support weakens, facial appearance can change, and loss of a posterior tooth puts new stress on the anterior teeth in front of it. Replacing what is missing is always encouraged, whether with a fixed bridge, a removable partial, or a dental implant.
After decades of research and advancement in materials and design, dental implants are considered the “Gold” standard for replacing missing teeth. Implants are a fixed option, meaning they do not come in and out like a partial; they function like a natural tooth. Unlike a traditional bridge, an implant does not require cutting down healthy adjacent teeth to support a crown.
A dental implant is a small titanium post surgically placed into the jaw. Recovery is generally easy, with minimal post-operative discomfort. Once the post is fully integrated with the bone, a crown is attached, restoring natural chewing, esthetics, and function.
Dental implants placed by the team at Coastal Periodontics offer significant benefits:
By filling a gap in your arch or jaw, a dental implant helps preserve the integrity of your bone, and it also reduces the risk of developing infections. The implant, functioning as an artificial root, immediately stops the atrophy of the jawbone that naturally occurs otherwise.
Dental implants will restore the natural appearance of your smile and your jawline and prevent negative changes in the shape of your face, which can easily develop with missing teeth.
By receiving a dental implant, you improve your ability and likelihood of brushing and flossing daily, which then results in improved overall oral health.
Since the small titanium post functions just like an artificial root, fused and bonded to your jaw, dental implants are completely secure, and stable, which improves your natural ability to chew and speak normally.
When you are missing a tooth, the neighboring teeth immediately shift into the gap, affecting your bite alignment. A dental implant holds the space, keeping surrounding teeth aligned and your bite stable.
Unlike a traditional dental bridge, the adjoining teeth are not needed to support the restorative appliance.
Approximately fifty million Americans experience tooth loss every year. Dentures and dental bridges have been the solution for decades. Dental implants offer a stable, long-term replacement option for many patients, but like any dental restoration, their longevity depends on factors such as oral hygiene, maintenance, overall health, and bite forces over time.
Dental implants generally require a series of visits over a period of time to successfully complete.
Prior to initiating treatment, the team at Coastal Periodontics will discuss your individual case with you including your unique treatment plan, the phases of treatment, post operative care, and expected recovery timeline.
Following your complete evaluation, if a tooth needs to be extracted, the extraction is completed and a bone graft is placed. This must heal for approximately six months prior to placing the dental implant to ensure adequate bone is present at the site.
The day of the dental implant procedure, your periodontist will administer local anesthetic to the affected region to ensure a pain free experience for you. IV sedation is also available to patients if they wish and a thorough evaluation of your medical history has been completed.
Once adequately numb, your periodontist will gain access to your jaw by creating a small incision in the area. The space is prepped for a dental implant and an implant is placed in the bone. Throughout this process, a series of X-rays are taken prior to final implant placement to ensure proper positioning of the implant to provide an ideal restorative outcome for your dentist, and subsequently, an ideal final crown for you.
The final crown is fabricated by your general dentist to look, feel, and function naturally.
Following your initial dental implant surgery, your healing process will take one to two weeks. During this period, we recommend that you follow a soft-food diet and reintroduce harder foods once your tenderness diminishes.
Although very successful as an option for replacing teeth (>90% success rate), implants can still experience complications over time, most notably bone loss from bacteria or from cement left at the site when the crown is placed. The best thing you can do to extend the life expectancy of your dental implant is to practice good oral hygiene habits daily and follow a routine dental cleaning protocol as established by your dentist and periodontist. Early detection and preventive care is much easier and more cost effective than surgical treatment to repair or replace bone lost around an implant. In addition, an occlusal guard, or nightguard, will often be recommended by your dentist once the crown is placed to reduce occlusal force or trauma from being transferred to the dental implant.
We are honored you have chosen us for your periodontal care. At Coastal Periodontics, we believe every patient is unique, not just in dental needs but in values, past experiences, and treatment goals. Our team listens first, then designs a collaborative treatment plan around what matters to you. We pride ourselves on providing a calm, welcoming environment where every detail is handled with compassion. Our approach is grounded in a simple ideology: it is not about a procedure, it is about a long-term relationship. We stay active in continued education and in the community we serve.
Next Step
Send us a note about your case and our team will follow up to schedule an evaluation.