Dental Implants

Missing teeth do much more than mar an otherwise attractive smile. They can result in serious oral health issues down the road. If left untreated, your missing tooth can lead to bone deterioration, gum disease, and additional tooth loss. Therefore, it is crucial that you seek treatment for your missing tooth at once in order to prevent these serious issues from developing.

Dental implants offer you a permanent solution to replace your missing tooth. Since the implant functions as a replacement root as well, it is a much more effective restoration than alternatives such as dental bridges or dentures. At your initial consultation, Calgary dentist Dr. Mehbs Ali will evaluate your oral health to determine whether you are a suitable candidate for dental implants.

The Guided Dental Implant

Our dental implant patients experience a proven method of implant design. First, Dr. Ali takes a CT scan of the tooth. Results of the CT scan are loaded into special software program called CoDiagnostiX that enables him to virtually place the dental implant digitally. This stage is crucial for identifying any potential issues or limitations that could compromise the implant’s success. The virtual plan is then sent over to Aurum Group lab for custom design of your implant.

Aurum uses the digital information to create a surgical stent, which is essentially a template that helps Dr. Ali drill the implant hole at the right angle and right depth. This provides invaluable guidance for determining the ideal position of the dental implant, ensuring long-term functionality, and eliminating the risk of sinus issues or nerve damage. Dr. Ali’s guided dental implant technique ensures a predictable outcome and also allows for a less invasive surgery, resulting in very little discomfort afterwards.

The Dental Implant Process

A dental implant involves three stages – an initial procedure to insert the dental implant into the jawbone, a second procedure to attach the abutment to the implant, and a final nonsurgical stage where your false tooth is set in place. Dr. Ali performs all portions of the process.

After Dr. Ali inserts your dental implant, it will take several months for your jaw to heal. During this time, the jawbone will fuse with the implant, making it a very stable tooth root. This process is called osseointegration.

Once osseointegration is complete, you will return to Dr. Ali’s office so that he can place a titanium post, called an abutment on the dental implant. He will then take an impression to be used in the construction of your prosthetic tooth, consisting of a dental crown. Once your crown has been created at our lab, you will return to our office so that Dr. Ali can attach it to the abutment.

Dental Implant Benefits

Dental implants are highly sought after for their obvious appearance benefits. However, they also offer several other important benefits compared with alternatives such as dental bridges and dentures. Dental implants offer a comprehensive answer to tooth loss, providing tooth and tooth root replacement for ultimate stability. Since an implant is secured into the jawbone underneath the gums, they offer a level of strength and security these other options simply cannot compete with. The process of jawbone integration also prevents bone loss experienced by many people with missing teeth.

The dental implant really is the closest solution to a natural tooth we have in dentistry today. They are permanent, comfortable, and can last a whole lifetime with excellent care. If you are ready to do something about that missing tooth, talk to Dr. Ali about our guided implant procedure.

Please contact our Calgary dentist today to schedule your initial implant dentistry consultation with Dr. Ali.