Dental Implants

Made of titanium, dental implants act as artificial tooth roots. However, they do more than support your natural teeth: they also stimulate the bone tissue in your jawbone, keeping your smile healthy and strong. When you lose a tooth, the lack of stimulation causes the bone tissue to begin to deteriorate. If bone loss is allowed to continue, it can cause adjacent teeth to begin to shift. This can lead to an increased risk of additional tooth loss. Another negative consequence of a compromised jawbone is that your face will begin to appear sunken, making you look older than you actually are.

Traditional dentures and bridges only replace the crown of the tooth and do not provide a solution to bone loss. Implants take reconstructive dentistry one step further by seamlessly replicating the entire structure of your natural teeth to reinvigorate your oral health.

Once we have determined that you are a viable candidate for implants, your treatment will begin with the surgical placement of the implant or implants into your jawbone. During the healing process, the titanium base of the implant will fuse with the bone tissue in your jaw in a process called osseointegration. It typically takes several months to form a strong bond with the jawbone in order to create a solid foundation for the replacement teeth or tooth.

After the initial healing phase, the doctor will place abutments to the dental implant or implants during a follow-up procedure. These abutments will then attach to your new replacement crown, bridge, or denture. During the second healing period, your gums will heal around the abutments.

Once you have healed from the second procedure, you will return to our Loveland, CO, office where Dr. Maples will attach your crown, bridge, or denture. 

While crowns are used to restore single-tooth implants, a patient with several missing teeth may find these individual replacements too costly. Thankfully, there's an alternative solution. By placing a small number of implants at strategic positions along the jawbone, they can support an implant-retained full or partial denture or bridge that provides the same valuable health and cosmetic benefits as individual crowns. Both permanent and removable options are available.

At West Lake Dental, Dr. Maples and the rest of his team are dedicated to serving patients with the latest in dental technology and techniques. Our cone beam system is an important part of that goal. This state-of-the-art machine allows us to clearly view the relationship between your jawbone and major structures such as nerves and sinuses, which is crucial when it comes to placing implants. It also allows us to find hidden bone that might allow for placement without having to perform a bone graft procedure. These functions will make your surgical procedure more precise and safer than ever before.