Dental implants in Tulsa

A dental implant replaces a missing tooth from the root up. A titanium post is placed into the jawbone, the bone grows around it over the following months, and a crown made to match your other teeth is attached on top. The result is fixed in place. You brush it, floss it, and eat normally.

Why replacing a missing tooth matters

A gap is not only cosmetic. The teeth on either side drift toward the space, the opposing tooth drops down, and the bite changes over time. The jawbone in the empty area also shrinks, because the bone that held the root has nothing to do. Waiting years to fill a gap sometimes means bone grafting is needed before an implant can go in.

How an implant compares to a bridge

A bridge fills the gap by cutting down the healthy teeth on both sides and using them as anchors. It is quicker and it is sometimes the right answer, particularly where those neighbouring teeth already need crowns.

An implant does not touch them. It also preserves the bone in the area, which a bridge does not. It takes longer because the bone has to fuse to the post. Dr. Hanna will go through which fits your mouth, your timeline, and your budget.

The process

It begins with an exam and X-rays to check there is enough bone and to see where the nerve and sinus sit. The post is placed at a surgical appointment, and healing takes a few months while bone fuses to it. Then the abutment and the final crown go on, shaded to match your teeth.

Because Dr. Hanna completed a residency in sedation and oral surgery, surgical placement and the final restoration are both done in this office. You are not passed between a surgeon across town and a dentist here, and the person who plans the final crown is the person who positions the implant.

Implant supported dentures

Implants also stabilise a denture. A small number of implants gives a lower denture something to lock onto, which for most patients is the difference between a denture that shifts while eating and one that stays put. If you already wear a denture and find it moves, this is worth asking about.