Cincinnati Dental Implants

Dental implants are the best way to replace missing teeth with a natural, permanent prosthetic that looks and feels just like a real tooth. Implants offer patients who have lost one or more teeth the opportunity to reclaim their smile.

A dental implant is a small titanium post that is inserted into the jaw and gum by Dr. Dani Shertok at Shertok Smiles. These posts function as an artificial “root”, and they are attached to dental crowns, bridges, and even implant-supported dentures to give your smile a natural look.

How Do Dental Implants Work?

Dental implants mimic the natural root of your tooth, which is lost after your tooth is extracted or falls out. Dr. Shertok will place a dental implant directly into your gum and bone, where your missing tooth’s root used to be.

Usually, dental implants are made of titanium. This metal has the unique ability to “osseointegrate.” (this means that it fuses and bonds permanently to your jaw bone). Because the implant becomes permanently attached to your jaw, it functions as an artificial tooth root. After this process is complete, a dental restoration like a crown, bridge, or an implant-supported denture can be attached to the implant, which will hold it in place permanently.

The Dental Implant Process

Dental implants are not appropriate for everyone. Typically, you must be in good overall health, and your mouth must be free of tooth decay and periodontitis to be a good candidate for a dental implant. During a consultation, Dr. Shertok will perform a dental and radiographic exam to ensure that implants are right for you.

If you are a good candidate for implants, your mouth will be cleaned and the treatment area will be numbed. Sedation is also available to ensure your comfort during the process. Dr. Shertok will create a small opening in your gum line, and surgically insert the implant.

Once your gums heal from the surgery, a natural-looking replacement tooth will be bonded permanently onto the dental implant. The result is a beautiful new tooth that blends in with the surrounding enamel, does not slip or move when eating or speaking, and will last 30+ years with proper care.

How Do Dental Implants Prevent Bone Loss?

The biggest benefit of dental implants compared to alternatives like a partial denture or a bridge is that they prevent bone loss. When you lose a tooth, the underlying gum and bone structure will weaken and deteriorate. This happens because the natural pressure of biting, smiling and chewing with your tooth transmits force into your jaw through the root of your tooth. Once you’ve lost your tooth, the underlying structure starts to waste away because it is no longer being stimulated by this pressure and force.

Since dental implants replace your natural root with an artificial root, this helps prevent bone loss. The natural forces of chewing, biting and smiling are transmitted into your jaw bone through the implant, just like they would be with a real tooth. This, in turn, keeps the jaw bone strong and prevents it from deteriorating.

What Are The Benefits Of Dental Implants?

• Long lifespan – Dental implants usually last at least 30 years, and many patients have their implants for the rest of their lives.
• Cost-effective – While dental implants are more expensive up-front than a partial denture or a dental bridge, their durability makes them more cost-effective in the long term.
• Completely natural look and feel – Your implant will look and feel just like a natural tooth when speaking, chewing, and smiling. Nobody will be able to tell it apart from a natural tooth, and it will never shift in your mouth, unlike a denture.
• No special care required – Simply brush and floss normally, and see Dr. Shertok for an oral exam and teeth cleaning every 6 months.  

Am I A Good Candidate For Dental Implants?

To be considered a good candidate for a dental implant, you must be in good overall health and have a mouth free of gum disease or tooth decay. In addition, your jaw bone must be strong enough to accept the dental implant. In some cases, though, a preparatory treatment like a bone graft or sinus lift can be used to strengthen your jaw and have an implant placed, even if it has been weakened due to tooth loss.

Smoking also increases the risk of dental implant complications and premature failure, so many dentists may refuse to treat smokers with dental implants.

How Are Dental Implants Made?

Dental implants consist of two different parts: the implant itself and natural-looking restoration.

The dental implant is a small, screw-shaped piece of titanium. It’s usually cylindrical or slightly tapered, and implants are made in a variety of standard sizes, manufactured by numerous dental companies. We use only the highest-quality implants at Shertok Smiles.

The second part of a dental implant is the implant-supported restoration. Unlike the implant post, your restoration will be custom-made specifically to fit your implant and to match your surrounding teeth. The most common type of implant-supported restoration is a dental crown, which can be used to replace one missing tooth.

The Restoration Process

The process of making your implant-supported restoration will begin a few weeks after your implant has been placed. You’ll come into our office for a follow-up with Dr. Shertok, and he’ll examine your mouth to make sure your implant is healing properly. Then, he will take images and dental impressions of your teeth.

This information will then be sent to a trusted dental lab. Over a period of a few weeks, the lab will begin building your implant-supported restoration based on the measurements taken by Dr. Shertok. Once it’s completed, it will be sent to our office.

When your mouth has fully healed (which takes 3-6 months) you’ll come in for your final implant. Dr. Shertok will attach the restoration to your implant and make sure it fits perfectly. This completes the procedure.

How Should I Care For My Dental Implants?

This depends on the type of implant you have. After your implant has been placed, Dr. Shertok will provide you with a comprehensive set of instructions about how to care for it and keep it strong and healthy. In the meantime, here are some quick tips for implant care:

Single-tooth implants can be treated just like a natural tooth. Simply brush twice a day and floss once a day to keep your implant in good shape, and prevent issues like peri-implantitis (infection of the implant). You’ll also need to see Dr. Shertok for routine cleanings every 6 months. 

If you have an implant-supported bridge or a set of permanent implant-supported dentures, you will need to clean and floss below the restoration regularly, using a special “sulcus” brush. This removes food and bacteria from below your restoration, and keeps it healthy. A six-month cleaning is also necessary to ensure your implants are being maintained properly.

Removable implant-supported dentures can be treated just like a traditional set of dentures. You will need to remove them and clean your dentures and your gums every day, and soak your dentures overnight to disinfect them and keep them moist. 

How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?

The cost of implants varies based on the number of teeth you’re replacing, pre-treatment surgeries (such as extractions or bone grafting) that may be required, your oral health, and a number of other factors.

However, if you would like an estimate for the cost of dental implants in Cincinnati, Dr. Dani Shertok can help. After your initial consultation, he can provide you with an overall cost assessment for your treatment. Contact us now to schedule your appointment and get started.

Come In Today For A Consultation – Restore Your Smile!

Missing teeth can damage your self-esteem and confidence, and make you feel self-conscious about your smile. But with dental implants from Shertok Smiles, you can restore your mouth and start smiling again!

Interested in a dental implant? Contact us right away for an appointment at (513) 721-5924, or come to our office at 19 Garfield Place, Suite 414, Cincinnati, OH 45202. We hope to see you soon!