Dental Implants

Dental implants give you the opportunity to enjoy a lifetime of functional teeth even after you lose one or more of your natural teeth to decay or injury. At Frontier Family Dental in Graham, Washington, Seung Jae (David) Joung, DMD, provides individual dental implants in addition to All-on-4® depending on your needs. Call Frontier Family Dental for an implant consultation or book a visit online today. 

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are synthetic tooth roots that look like little titanium screws. Your dentist installs a dental implant in your jawbone during an initial surgery at Frontier Family Dental. You later visit for a second surgery during which your dentist makes an incision in your gum to reveal the implant and attach a custom restoration, like a crown or bridge. 

Frontier Family Dental uses titanium implants because the metal is biocompatible. Your jawbone fuses with the implant between your first and second surgery, which creates a highly sturdy base for your restoration. With routine oral health care like cleaning and exams, your implant can last for a lifetime. 

Which services do I need while getting dental implants?

Alongside routine dental care such as exams and cleanings, the process of getting dental implants can involve:

Sinus lift augmentation

A sinus lift augmentation is a procedure that makes the sinus cavities in your face smaller by adding a bone graft. The sinuses often expand due to bone resorption after losing upper teeth. 

Autogenous bone grafting

Autogenous bone grafting involves taking some bone from elsewhere in your mouth and placing it in your jawbone to increase its density. This makes the bone strong enough to support a dental implant. 

Implant site development

Implant site development usually happens at the time of an extraction. It involves placing a bone graft in your jaw, either an autogenous graft or synthetic bone, to increase the bone’s density. 

Computer-enhanced treatment planning

Frontier Family Dental uses computer-enhanced treatment planning, including 3D CT scans, to evaluate the jaw and plan your implant surgery. 

Implant maintenance

Implant maintenance is the upkeep you need once your dental implant is in place. Your dentist determines how often you should get thorough cleanings to keep plaque and tartar off your restoration. 

What is All-on-4®?

All-on-4 is a treatment that uses dental implants to support dentures. Instead of getting a single implant for each tooth you’re missing, you get four evenly spaced implants that your custom denture can latch onto. This allows for minimal recovery time and often less need for bone grafting before treatment. 

All-on-4 allows you to have dentures that don’t slip or fall out when you eat or speak. Plus, you can avoid denture adhesive altogether. 

Call Frontier Family Dental to learn more about dental implants or book your restorative consultation online today.