Complete Your Smile with Dental Implants
Everyone deserves to have an attractive, complete smile. When you lose a tooth as an adult, it can be hard not to feel some embarrassment. However, you can trust Dr. Julie Jang, a leading dentist in Vancouver, WA, that it is a far more common occurrence than you may realize.
There is a good reason why you don’t notice too many adults with incomplete smiles: there are many treatments for replacing missing teeth. Dental implants are arguably the best option. These prosthetic teeth attach securely into your jawbone and can last for multiple decades.
How Dental Implants Help
Having a full set of teeth is important for eating. When you have a missing tooth, you often adjust your bite to avoid the missing tooth, and over a prolonged period this can damage your jaw. With a dental implant, you can chew normally again rather than moving your food to one side.
A missing tooth can also affect the way you speak. Slurring and other mild forms of speech impediment are common in people with one or more missing teeth, but having a full set of teeth can eliminate those impediments.
The most obvious benefit of a dental implant is its aesthetic value. With a complete set of teeth, you do not need to worry about feeling self-conscious. It’s amazing how liberating it is to not stifle your smile every time you socialize.
Dental Implants: What to Expect
Typically, Dr. Julie performs this procedure over two appointments. During the first appointment, she uses local anesthesia to numb your mouth. She then performs a light surgical procedure that inserts a titanium post into your jawbone through the gums where your tooth is missing. She will attach a temporary, lightweight crown to the end of this post to ensure your smile looks nice in the interim.
Over the next few months, the post should fully integrate with your jawbone. Once this healing is complete, you may return to Harmony Family Dentistry so that Dr. Julie can put your permanent prosthetic tooth on the metal post in your mouth. With Dr. Julie’s help, you can choose a tooth that looks identical in shape, size, and shade to your other teeth for a seamless smile. If something does not look or feel right, Dr. Julie will change the prosthetic so that you are completely satisfied with your new tooth.
Dental Implants Last a Long, Long Time
Dental implants are extremely durable and typically last about one to two decades before replacement is necessary. With proper care, some patients keep the same implant for the rest of their lives. Be sure to brush and floss your implant as you do all your other teeth. It is also important to avoid chewings on hard, inedible objects such as your fingernails or pens since these can crack your implants and require early replacement.
Harmony Family Dentistry Is the Best Place for Dental Implants in Washington
Given that dental implant placement is a surgical procedure, you should only seek an elite dentist for this procedure. Dr. Julie is a member of the American Dental Association and the Washington State Dental Association. In addition to practicing dentistry for over 20 years, she has furthered her education in best practices for implants, restorative dentistry, and esthetics, receiving the coveted Kois Center certification. To consult with Dr. Julie about your missing tooth, please call or text 360-882-7866.
