Dental Implants in Maple Valley, WA

Pacific Northwest Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons provides patients with missing teeth many restoration options to choose from. Dental implants are a popular solution for a missing tooth or teeth because of their permanence and ability to preserve jaw bone health.

Other tooth replacement options, such as dentures or bridges, focus on cosmetically restoring your smile, while true tooth replacements like dental implants replace the crown and root. If you are ready to explore your options for restoring one or more missing teeth, we invite you to contact our office in Maple Valley, WA.

Reasons to Replace Missing Teeth

Aside from damaging your confidence, a missing tooth also has oral health consequences when left untreated. A tooth’s root stimulates the jaw bone during chewing, keeping it strong. When a tooth is missing, the jaw bone deteriorates in that area. Jaw bone loss can result in facial sagging and can cause other teeth to shift out of position.

Even if you’ve had a tooth extracted many years ago, you may still be a candidate for dental implants. Our surgeons can place a bone graft in the socket to regrow bone where it has weakened, that way the implant will have a sturdy foundation. We can even replace an entire arch of damaged or missing teeth through Smile Complete^™ full-arch restoration, a procedure which uses dental implant posts to secure a long-lasting denture.

Keeping your jaw healthy is essential for good oral health. By not protecting your bone and gums, you are at greater risk for developing periodontal disease, gum disease and other oral health issues.

Types of Dental Implants in Maple Valley, WA

This complete tooth restoration solution is incredibly versatile, allowing your surgeon to plan a treatment that is tailored to your exact oral health needs.

• Single Implants. Front teeth, canine teeth, and even molars—a dental implant can replace a missing tooth anywhere in the mouth.
• Implant-Supported Bridges. Dental implants can support a bridge where multiple teeth are missing next to each other. This avoids having to grind down your natural teeth in order to fit the bridge, and up to three replacement teeth can be attached to a single implant post.
• Immediate Implants. As soon as a tooth is extracted, our surgeons can place a dental implant post into the empty socket provided there is enough healthy jaw bone. This reduces the number of appointments needed to restore the tooth, saving you time and money.
• Smile Complete^™ Full-Arch Restoration. Ideal for patients with many missing teeth or who wear dentures, this treatment provides you with a brand new, fully functioning, healthy smile. Only a few implant posts are needed to support a fixed denture in one or both dental arches. Your replacement teeth will stay in place and are custom-made for a comfortable fit.
• Ceramic Implants. Ceramic implants are metal-free implants and are great for patients who do not want metal in their body or who have sensitivities to titanium. Also called zirconia implants, ceramic implants often produce more esthetically pleasing results because there is no metal post that can show through the gum tissue.
• Zygomatic Implants. Zygomatic implants are inserted into the cheekbone instead of the upper jaw bone. These implants are great for patients who are otherwise not candidates for traditional implants due to a lack of adequate upper jaw. Zygomatic implants function just like traditional implants and can eliminate the need for a sinus lift.

Dental Implant Surgery Procedure

Your oral surgeon will outline the details of your treatment plan during the consultation. This is also when you will select your form of anesthesia and our team will take 3D scans of your mouth.

During the procedure, your surgeon will make a small incision in the gum tissue. Then, your surgeon will place the titanium implant post. If there is not enough jaw bone to support the implant, we will place a bone graft to help grow new bone. This may require an additional appointment to have the implant placed once the bone graft has healed and there is enough jaw bone. In the cases of tooth extraction, we will simply extract the tooth and immediately place the implant post.

The post will fuse with your jaw bone over the next several months, during which time your surgeon will also place a connecting abutment. Once 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^®.

The Overall Cost & Value of Dental Implants

The cost of a dental implant depends on several factors: your dental insurance, how many implants you need, if you require bone grafts or extractions, and your choice of anesthesia. We discuss all of these with you during your first visit and go over the cost upfront so you know exactly what to expect.

Many people find removable dentures embarrassing and clunky. Like removable bridges, they only serve as cosmetic restoration options and do not protect the jaw bone. These options must be replaced every few years and can lead to a much more costly and complex procedure down the line to treat severe bone deterioration. Additionally, it can be cumbersome to remove your teeth during eating and brushing on a daily basis.

Dental implants are a secure solution with a 98% success rate. They remain in your mouth at all times and are the only tooth restoration solution that prevents bone deterioration by stimulating the jaw bone. Our team of surgeons looks forward to improving your oral health and confidence with this remarkable solution for missing teeth.

Denture Replacement With Dental Implants

Dental implants are an ideal replacement for traditional dentures because they are long-lasting, stable, and function like natural teeth. Patients who wear dentures must replace them every few years, and ill-fitting dentures can cause oral sores. It can also feel embarrassing to remove your teeth when eating around others. Dental implants eliminate these inconveniences, so you can smile and laugh with confidence.

Several implant posts can secure a fixed denture in one or both arches through full-arch restoration, ideal for patients with full dentures. If you wear partial dentures, an implant-supported bridge or individual implants can restore your teeth and eliminate the need for dentures. Contact our office today to learn more about denture replacement in Maple Valley, WA.