Dental Implants
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is placed in your jawbone after you lose a tooth. The implant is allowed to heal over several months, then topped with a natural-looking dental crown that restores the function and appearance of your smile.
Dr. Desai is pleased to offer implants at our friendly Hempstead, NY, dental office. When you’re our patient, you can expect nothing but high-quality dentistry delivered by a friendly dental team who treats you like family.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
To understand how we use dental implants, it's helpful to know how their different parts work.
The Implant Post
The implant is a titanium post that looks like a tiny screw. Titanium is biocompatible, meaning bone and tissue grow around the implant in a natural process.
Dr. Desai works with an oral surgeon who is located in our building and expertly places your dental implant under local anesthesia so you won't feel anything. Over the next 3–6 months, the implant becomes one with the bone around it, making it a permanent part of your dental anatomy.
The Implant Abutment
When the implant and bone fully integrate, the oral surgeon accesses the implant and attaches the abutment. The abutment connects the implant in your jaw to the tooth restoration, which is the part of the implant you see when you smile.
The Implant Restoration
It takes about two weeks for the abutment to heal, then Dr. Desai designs the custom tooth replacement. We use an implant crown for single-tooth replacement; for multiple-tooth replacement, we use an implant bridge or denture.
When the restoration is attached to the implant, the result is a fully functioning, natural-looking tooth that no one will ever know is not your own.
Dental Implant Benefits
Patients appreciate implants because they look, feel, and function like a real tooth; dentists prefer them because they are a healthy, long-lasting tooth replacement with many benefits:
Lasts a lifetime — Dental implants have a success rate of about 95 percent and can last a lifetime with proper care.- Improves jawbone health — When you lose a tooth, the bone that supports it starts to shrink, but placing a dental implant in the spot helps the jawbone to stay strong and healthy.
- Provides superior support for replacement teeth — A dental implant is the only restorative option that replaces a missing tooth from the roots up.
- Improves chewing function — Tooth loss can make it painful or difficult to chew all the foods you enjoy. Dental implants are stable and secure and allow you to go back to eating whatever you like.
- Replaces a single tooth or multiple teeth — We can replace a single missing tooth with an implant crown or multiple teeth with an implant-supported denture or dental bridge.
- Looks like a real tooth — Thanks to an experienced dentist who delivers beautiful, long-lasting tooth restorations, your new implant tooth will look, feels, and function like a real tooth.
Are You a Good Dental Implant Candidate?
Nearly anyone with missing teeth is a good implant candidate. Your gums must be healthy and free of periodontal disease, and there must be enough dense bone to support the implant; if not, bone grafting is an option that would make an implant possible for you in the future.
Being a smoker does not disqualify you from being an implant candidate, but it does increase the risk of implant failure.
Ready to Learn More about Dental Implants?
We make getting a dental implant convenient and comfortable, and Dr. Desai would be happy to meet with you to discuss your tooth replacement options. To learn more about dental implants, please call Desai Family Dentistry at (516) 481-8906. We are pleased to serve patients in Hempstead, Garden City, and all surrounding areas on Long Island.
