3548 Davis Dr.

Morrisville, NC 27560-8819

(919) 388-0137

Are You a Good Candidate For Dental Implants?

Dental ImplantFinally, you've lost that troublesome front tooth. Oddly shaped and weak since childhood, it has fractured, and your dentist, Dr. Geetha Sripathi at Elite Smiles in Morrisville, advises replacement with a dental implant. What is a dental implant, and who qualifies for one? Read about this ingenious artificial tooth and why you are a good candidate to receive one.

The dental implant

In her Morrisville office, Dr. Sripathi and her team place dental implants--either singly or in multiples--to replace one or more teeth lost to decay, gum disease, accident, or in your case, congenital malformation and weakness. The single-tooth implant has three distinct components: a titanium metal screw, a metal alloy post and a customized ceramic crown.

Amazingly, titanium and human bone bond to each other almost inseparably through osseointegration. Combined with Dr. Sripathi's expert oral surgery skills and your good oral health, your implant can last indefinitely.

What makes you a good candidate?

Of course, because Dr. Sripathi knows your oral health and history well, she can predict how successful your implant procedure can be. She'll take some digital x-rays and a three-dimensional scan to confirm you have enough bone in the empty socket to support an implant. Bone density and other factors determine dental implant success.

In addition, your overall health must be strong, and you should be diligent about oral hygiene--brushing, flossing, and getting your routine check-ups and cleanings at Elite Smiles in Morrisville, NC.

It helps to be a non-smoker, too, because cigarette smoke degrades the gums and bone supporting dental implants. In fact, the American Dental Association says that smokers experience a 15.8 percent implant failure rate, necessitating removal of the devices. People who do not smoke, however, enjoy a success rate of over 98 percent.

The treatment

Dr. Sripathi does the entire implant procedure right at Elite Smiles. She uses local anesthetic to ensure complete patient comfort. Then, she creates a small opening in the gums and bone. After she sets the titanium implant into the jaw bone, she sutures the site closed. Then, osseointegration begins. This process takes several weeks to accomplish, but when fully healed, the site can accept the extension post and porcelain crown.

Over time, the bond between implant and jaw strengthens even more. You'll enjoy oral function that is natural and smile appearance that is exceptional...no more hiding that weak tooth!

Learn more

Go ahead: schedule your dental implant consultation with Dr. Sripathi at Elite Smiles. She'll take you through this amazing restoration step by step, leaving you with a new tooth that feels and acts like a natural one. Phone us today at (919) 388-0137.