Dental Implants in Sherman, TX

The only way to replace missing teeth used to be with dentures or partial dentures, which had problems such as fit issues, discomfort, and limitations on what you could eat. Fortunately, dental implants are quickly becoming the preferred option for replacing missing teeth, offering greater comfort, stability, and improved functionality.

Dental implants are titanium screws placed in the jawbone to replace the missing tooth roots and provide a stable base for dental restorations. At Oral Surgery of Texoma, some of the best dental implant surgeons near you are available to evaluate you for dental implants and surgically place them. They will work closely with your dentist or prosthodontist, who will create the crowns, bridges, or full arches that attach to the implants, completing your dental restoration and restoring your smile.

Why Replace Missing Teeth?

Your teeth affect your whole body. When they’re healthy, you’re healthier too. A missing tooth can affect your bite, speech, and eating choices. As you rely more on your remaining teeth, you increase the risk that they will wear out prematurely, be damaged, or be lost. You may also experience headaches and/or jaw pain.

Who would want their appearance and health to deteriorate? That’s the natural consequence of missing teeth; the jaw literally melts away. Generally, people will lose 25% of their supporting jawbone structure within the first year after tooth loss. However, implants act just like your natural teeth. They safeguard and preserve your bone structure, oral health, and appearance. Your dentist and our dental implant surgeons in Sherman can provide you with options so that you can make the most informed decision concerning tooth replacement.

Benefits of Dental Implants

Dental implants offer numerous benefits for anyone missing one or more of their natural teeth, including:

• Improved bite force for chewing tough foods.
• Preserving the jawbone by stimulating natural bone growth.
• A long-lasting solution: dental implants are made to last 30 years or more and frequently last a lifetime.
• Improved appearance. Dental implants look and feel like natural teeth and preserve your natural facial contours.
• Improved comfort and fit. Unlike dentures, there is no slipping, shifting, or pinching with dental implant restorations.
• None of your natural teeth are damaged when dental implants are placed.
• Dental implant restorations are easy to care for. You brush and floss them like your natural teeth.

Types of Dental Implant Solutions

• Single Tooth Implant: If you are missing a single tooth, a dental implant surgeon can place an individual implant to support a custom crown.
• Implant-Supported Bridge: This is a dental bridge that replaces a row of several missing teeth, supported at either end by dental implants rather than natural teeth.
• Full Mouth Dental Implants: When all of your teeth in the upper and lower jaw are missing or need to be extracted, we can strategically place implants to support an upper and lower arch of replacement teeth.
• All-on-X: All-on-X refers to common full-arch implant options that use either 4 (All-on-4) or 6 (All-on-6) implants to support a full-arch dental prosthetic.
• Implant-Supported Denture: Sometimes called an Overdenture, this is a removable denture that snaps onto a bar or ball fastening system attached to dental implants, offering greater stability than traditional dentures while still being removable.

The Dental Implant Process

The process starts with a consultation and imaging, during which we examine your teeth and gums, review your medical history, and discuss your goals to determine if dental implants are appropriate for you. Digital images are taken to create a 3D model of your jawbone, which serves as a precise guide for implant placement.

On the day of surgery, the area is numbed, and you are sedated for comfort. Your dental implant surgeon makes an incision in the gums and places the implant into the jawbone using the 3D model as guidance, after which the gums are sutured closed over the implants.

Healing follows, with the gums typically recovering within a few weeks. Beneath the surface, the implants require about 3 to 6 months to fuse with the surrounding bone, a process called osseointegration. During the first week after surgery, you will follow a soft diet, but throughout the integration period, most patients notice little to no disruption to their normal routine.

Once the implants are fully integrated, the final stage involves uncovering the tops of the implants and attaching the permanent restorations, completing the process. Your dentist or prosthodontist will design, fabricate, and attach the restorations.

Why See an Oral Surgeon for Dental Implants? The Importance of Specialized Treatment