Dental Implants

While teeth ideally last a lifetime, that isn’t always the case. Homan Solemaninejad, DMD, understands the importance of having a healthy, bright smile. At Arlington Dental Care in Falls Church, Virginia, Dr. Solemaninejad offers dental implants for patients with missing teeth. Call the office today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about dental implants.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are artificial tooth roots. Made with titanium materials, dental implants secure your prosthetics in place if you have missing teeth. Implants bond to your jawbone through a process called osseointegration. 

After Dr. Solemaninejad surgically implants the replacement tooth roots, the bone heals around them. This process allows your dentures, crowns, or bridges to feel and function like your natural teeth.

What are the benefits of dental implants?

Dental implants offer many benefits if you have missing teeth. These advantages include:

Appearance

Dental implants keep your replacement teeth secure, so they never appear bulky or out of place. 

Speech and bite

Because implants hold your replacement teeth in place, they eliminate many of the downsides of traditional dentures, such as lisps, slurred speech, and painful chewing.

Comfort

Traditional dentures tend to slide on your gums over time. By holding your dentures in place, implants help prevent sores and cuts on your gums.

Oral hygiene

You can brush and floss as you normally do with dental implants. Unlike dentures, implants don’t require any special care.

What is the process like for dental implants?

The dental implant process is lengthy, but once placed, these restorations require less maintenance than other tooth replacement options. Before placing your implants, Dr. Solemaninejad performs a comprehensive dental exam complete with digital X-rays. He also makes sure you have enough healthy bone to support implants.

If you don’t have an adequate amount of bone in your jaw, Dr. Solemaninejad may recommend a bone graft before surgery. It typically takes several months to heal after a bone graft.

At your next visit, Dr. Solemaninejad performs your surgery. He administers an anesthetic before creating an access hole in your gums. After surgically placing the implants, he sutures your gums. The osseointegration and healing process can take up to 6-12 weeks. Osseointegration is the process that allows your implants to bond to your jawbone. 

After your mouth fully heals, Dr. Solemaninejad takes impressions to create your custom-made replacement teeth. He connects these prosthetics to your implants at your final visit. Dental implants are functional immediately after the restoration process is complete. With proper care, they can last for up to 25 years or more.

Call Arlington Dental Care today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about dental implants.