Replace missing or damaged teeth with metal-free dental implants in Clearwater, FL
Dr. Beata A. Carlson is a dentist who focuses on holistic dentistry that is gentle on your body and conserves as much of your natural smile as possible with every restoration. In situations where you need to replace a tooth, we offer patients in Clearwater, FL, ceramic dental implants, a bioinert material that restores full functionality to your tooth and prevents bone loss and crowded teeth.
How tooth loss affects your oral health
If you’re missing teeth in your mouth, even just one, you have to adjust your chewing to make up for it; this adds a lot of stress to your teeth and the joints in your mouth, which can lead to a tooth fracture or TMJ pain.
Additionally, over time your mouth can begin to change shape without your tooth to stimulate your jawbone. You’ll lose bone mass in your jaw, your teeth will shift around in your mouth, and your face will develop a sunken look, and this can lead to problems with your airway, increasing your risk for snoring and sleep apnea at night.
Dental implants are the only tooth replacement treatment that replicates the entire structure of your tooth. The implant itself, a small screw-shaped rod, replaces your tooth’s root to support chewing and stimulate your jaw to prevent bone loss. They can be used to support a single dental crown, a dental bridge, or complete dentures, depending on how many teeth you need to replace. Dr. Beata A. Carlson utilizes ceramic implants because they won’t irritate or inflame your gums like metal, and they fuse more readily to your jaw bone. They also offer a more natural look and retain less plaque and tartar deposits than titanium.
What to expect from the tooth implant process?
A dental implant procedure can take anywhere from 6-12 months or even longer, depending on your situation. This period allows your body to heal and adjust to your mouth changes for a more successful outcome for your implants.
- Surgical extraction: if you have an infected or damaged tooth, the first step will be extracting it. Dr. Beata A. Carlson takes the surgical approach to remove teeth because it’s much gentler on your body. Then your gums and jaw will need to heal before the implant is placed. Dr. Beata A. Carlson will recommend an infrared therapy device to improve the healing process.
- The implant procedure: once the implant site has healed, you may need a bone or tissue graft at the implant site to provide additional support. The implant will then be placed, and the healing process can take several more weeks.
- Placing the abutment and dental crown (dental restoration): once the implant is securely in place, Dr. Beata A. Carlson will place an abutment over the implant to hold your prosthetic restoration. She will take impressions of your mouth to send to the dental lab, and may set a temporary crown (restoration) while you wait for your permanent solution. Once your prosthetic is ready, you’ll return to the office. If it’s a bridge or crown, it will be bonded in place. Dentures may be fixed or removable, depending on patient preference.
All you need to know about dental implants - Dr. Beata A Carlson
What is a dental implant?
A dental implant is a titanium post that is placed in the upper or lower jawbone done to replace a missing tooth.
More and more people are finding that they are incompatible with conventional titanium implants, and negative reactions to the metal have been found in many patients over the past few years.
A replacement material is now available with modern high-performance ceramic zirconium oxide. In recent years, high-strength zirconia ceramics have become attractive as new materials for dental implants.
What are the benefits of zirconia dental implants compared to titanium dental implants?
With metal-free high-performance ceramics, you can ensure that the disadvantages, which metallic titanium implants may exhibit, do not occur.
- Zirconium oxide ceramics are extremely biocompatible and do not irritate the immune system.
- There are no known incompatibilities or allergies to this material.
- Significantly less plaque forms on zirconium oxide ceramics, which reduces the risk of peri-implantitis, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.
- The beauty of your smile is not only defined by the whiteness of the teeth but also by the color and shape of your gums. We call this red-white aesthetic.
- The white ceramic material looks similar to the natural tooth – no gray rings or shadows are visible even with thin or receding gums.
To learn more about dental implants and biological dentistry, contact our office in Clearwater, FL, at 727-888-6929 for a consultation.
