Dental Implants in Federal Way, WA
Achieve a Complete Smile
At Pacific Northwest Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons in Federal Way, WA, our oral surgeons are experts in dental implant placement. They are an ideal solution for tooth loss because they replace missing teeth with natural-looking and fully functional replacements.
More traditional tooth replacement solutions, such as bridges and dentures, last only for several years, and they are more focused on cosmetic results. In contrast, dental implants restore your smile and your ability to eat and chew normally. They also preserve the health of your jaw bone and prevent dental shifting.
Why Should You Replace a Missing Tooth?
Missing teeth damage more than your self-esteem. Leaving a missing tooth untreated can cause the jaw bone to deteriorate in that area because it does not receive stimulation during chewing. Bone atrophy leads to facial sagging and teeth shifting out of place.
Our surgeons can place bone grafts if the jaw bone has weakened and needs help supporting the implant. Bone grafts help stimulate the production of new bone in a particular area and can restore integrity to the jaw, as well as provide a sturdy foundation for dental implants.
Dental Implant Quality in Federal Way, WA
Benefits of Dental Implants
Restore and Maintain Oral Health
The implant post fuses with the jaw bone, which stimulates the jaw and prevents bone loss. Their placement in the empty socket prevents nearby teeth from shifting into it, and they don’t rely on surrounding teeth for support.
Durable Restoration
Traditional solutions for missing teeth must be replaced every few years, while dental implants can last a lifetime with proper care.
Natural-Looking Results
The crown is made to match the shape and color of your other teeth, making your dental implant indistinguishable from a natural tooth.
Easy Care
Brush and floss your implant twice a day and maintain regular dental visits. You care for a dental implant the same way as natural teeth because this solution is a true tooth replacement and will look, feel, and function just like a natural tooth.
Types of Dental Implants in Federal Way, WA
There are several types of tooth restoration options available, and our skilled surgeons will help select the option that’s right for you.
- Single Dental Implants. One dental implant can replace a missing tooth anywhere in the mouth. This includes front teeth, canine teeth, and even molars.
- Implant-Supported Bridges. Instead of using your natural teeth to support a bridge, we can use dental implants to support a bridge if multiple teeth are missing next to each other. This avoids having to grind down your healthy teeth so that the bridge fits correctly. One implant post can typically hold up to three crowns.
- Immediate Implants. As soon as we extract a tooth, we can place an implant post with a same-day dental implant as long as there is enough healthy jaw bone to support it. This reduces the number of appointments needed to replace the tooth, saving you time and money.
- Smile Complete™ Full-Arch Restoration. Patients missing many or all of their teeth may be candidates for a fixed denture that is secured using dental implants. Available in one or both dental arches, this option provides you with a completely new and fully functioning smile. Your replacement teeth will stay in place and are custom-made just for you.
- Ceramic Implants. Ceramic implants, or zirconia implants, do not contain any metal, making them ideal for patients with titanium sensitivities. Instead, these implants are made of a tooth-colored ceramic material and often provide more esthetically pleasing results because there is no metal post that shows through the gum tissue.
- Zygomatic Implants. Zygomatic implants are the ideal solution for patients who lack sufficient jaw bone in the upper jaw. These implants are inserted into the zygomatic bone, or cheekbone, and help patients qualify for implant placement. Placing zygomatic implants may also eliminate the need for a sinus lift.
Dental Implant Procedure in Federal Way, WA
Dental Implant Surgery
First, you will meet with one of our oral surgeons during a consultation visit. Your surgeon will evaluate your mouth, take 3D scans, discuss anesthesia options, and create a treatment plan custom to your smile.
On the day of surgery, your surgeon will make a small incision in the gum tissue and place the titanium implant post. If you are having a tooth extracted, we can place the implant immediately following extraction, provided you have enough jaw bone to support it. We may place a bone graft and allow time for it to heal before we place the implant.
Over the next few months, the post will fuse with your jaw bone. During healing, your surgeon will place a connecting abutment and when you have fully healed, your restorative dentist will place the final crown.
Our practice offers a non-opioid option for pain relief after surgery. Ask your doctor about EXPAREL®.
Maximize Your Dental Implant’s Aesthetic Results
Gum sculpting, also called gingival sculpting, involves contouring the gums around the implant so that it looks natural and matches the adjacent teeth. It works by placing a special forming piece on the implant after it is placed. While you heal, your surgeon can adjust the contours of the gum for the most aesthetically pleasing result. Our exclusive ezPRO process plans your treatment ahead of time, so everything is ready on the day of your surgery.
Your surgeon can adjust the contour of the gums to match neighboring teeth. The benefits of this treatment include more natural gum contours, which makes it easier to clean and floss and prevents food from becoming stuck around the implant.
To find out how ezPRO can maximize the benefits of your dental implant surgery, ask your oral surgeon about gum contouring.
Anterior Implants
Posterior Implants
Traditional Healing Abutment
ezPRO Anatomical Shaped Tissue
Former
Dental Implant Candidacy in Federal Way, WA
Dental Implants: Cost and Value
The cost of your dental implant surgery will depend on how many implants you need, if you require bone grafts or extractions, your choice of anesthesia, and your dental insurance. We will discuss all of these with you during your first visit.
Removable dentures and traditional bridges may be cheaper up front, but do not prevent bone loss or keep the jaw healthy. They must be replaced every few years, and the price for a more extensive surgery down the line to repair severe bone loss can be very costly. The success rate of a dental implant is 98%, and maintaining a healthy jaw will promote healthy gums and prevent oral health issues, like periodontal disease.
With dental implants, you enjoy the benefits of having a complete smile and the peace of mind in knowing that your oral health is protected for years to come.
Denture Replacement With Dental Implants
Patients who wear dentures often look for a more convenient solution and turn to dental implants. Dentures can be cumbersome and it can feel embarrassing to take out your teeth when eating or brushing. You must replace dentures every few years and have them professionally fitted, otherwise they could slip around and cause sores.
Dental implants eliminate these inconveniences by providing stable, long-term tooth replacement. You can receive a new arch of teeth through full-arch restoration, completely replacing a fixed denture. Multiple implants or implant-supported bridges can replace a partial denture, restoring your oral health and confidence. Learn more about denture replacement in Federal Way, WA, by contacting our office today.
Types of Anesthesia
There are three main types of anesthesia that we use at our practice:
Hear From Dental Implant Patients
These patients can tell you about the firsthand experience undergoing dental implant treatment at our office.
Reviews From Our Dental Implant Patients
Heather
Dental Implant
Patient
" With Dr. Ben Johnson, I've had a sinus lift with bone grafting, and we're in the process of that healing, and another couple months, I'll get the caps put in. I'm the type of person where I have a lot of dental problems because of family history, and they just make you feel very comfortable when you come in. They ask you at your pre-op appointments if you have any questions. They ask you when you come in for the operative appointment if you have any questions, "Are you comfortable?" It's just very relaxed, and when you wake up, they come and they talk to you; they tell you how everything's gone, and then they call you that day or the next day to make sure that you're still feeling okay, and so everything is just a very smooth, flowing process. That's why I keep coming is because they're so personable, and they really care about you as a patient. "
Brandon
Dental Implant
Patient
"I had just bought a house, and there was a box in the bathroom, and I got up in the middle of the night. I speculate that I fell asleep on the way, hit the box, my chin hit the floor, then my teeth did. I went to the ER that night, and they cemented it all in place and got me in contact with Dr. Johnson's office. He got me in for an emergency procedure the following afternoon. The surgery was definitely a success. It's leaps and bounds ahead of where I thought it would be when the process was all said and done. The staff was great – really easy to work with. Dr. Ben Johnson was a great surgeon. I remember him telling jokes – he's funny. He's a younger guy, personable, easy to talk to, so yeah, I enjoyed having him as my surgeon a lot. I had an excellent experience here."
James
Dental Implant
Patient
"About 12 years ago, I had two molars on the same side of the mouth that had crowns and root canals, and they were failing, so I ended up having those two teeth extracted. So, I talked to my dentist, Dr. Sipes, about dental implants, and he referred me to Dr. Carl Johnson here. I've been a registered nurse for 20 years, and these people here in this office — and all the offices I went to — were very open and answered all of my questions. I had talked to Dr. Carl Johnson pretty extensively, and the surgery went great. My mouth is whole again. It's back to normal. It's been pretty amazing. I had a really great experience here."
Brenda
Dental Implant
Patient
"Dr. Edwards comes in with a smile and pats you on the back and "How are you doing?" and makes you feel very comfortable. I've got a tooth that was broke, and I had to get it extracted, and he told me I needed an implant. So, I got the tooth extracted, and I came back in to get the implant. They used bone graft from cadavers, I guess (they were telling me), and they put it in there, and that had to take effect for a month or so, maybe longer. And then I came back in, and then they did the implant in there, and then a couple days later, I probably felt a little bit of sinus problems because, you know, my sinuses act up at this time of year, but no pain. I feel so at ease when I'm in here with him — so at ease — and I go out smiling. It's just . . . it's great! The office is fantastic! The people are amazing; they make you feel really good."
Darlene
Dental Implant
Patient
"I came to Pacific Northwest Oral Surgeons to have a dental implant done. I felt very calm at Pacific Northwest Oral Surgeons because the staff took the time to reassure me and to encourage me. The one thing about Dr. Ben Johnson that I noticed is that he was very personal, and he was very friendly and calming. No complications whatsoever. I would highly recommend Dr. Ben Johnson. I would also highly recommend Pacific Northwest Oral Surgeons. They have a great team from the beginning to the end. "
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a dental implant be done in a day?
Yes, provided you have enough jaw bone to support it. You may receive a temporary crown to wear while the post fuses with your jaw bone. Most patients remain comfortable with the use of local anesthesia, in which case there is no downtime while the anesthesia is wearing off.
How long does a dental implant procedure take?
On average, it takes about 1 hour per dental implant. This time can vary depending on additional procedures, such as bone grafting or tooth extraction, as well as your choice of anesthesia.
How long after dental implants can I eat normally?
Avoid hard or sticky foods during healing and do not chew on the implant site for several weeks. Return to your normal diet as tolerated, but be careful not to disturb the surgical site or damage the implant. We will provide a more detailed recovery outline in your post-operative instructions.
Can you get a dental implant years after extraction?
Yes, you can get a dental implant even if many years have passed after having a tooth extracted. The bone has likely deteriorated in this area, and you may require a bone graft before the implant post can be placed. In this case, we will schedule an appointment to place the graft, and then another appointment to place the implant.
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