What is a dental implant?
A dental implant is designed to replace a tooth. You can use them to replace one tooth, or multiple teeth. You can even use them to replace all of your teeth. They look, feel, and function just like your natural teeth. Implants are the gold standard for replacing teeth.
There are two parts to a dental implant: the root form and the crown. First the root form, a titanium screw, is surgically placed into your jawbone.
At Hope Restorative & Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. Cha does his own surgery so you will be assured that the implant is placed in the ideal position for the crown. You won't have to worry about any miscommunication between the surgeon and the dentist. Once the root form is placed into your jawbone, we leave time for healing and for a process called osseointegration. This is where the jawbone grows around the implant to make it as secure as a natural tooth root. Once that has taken place, Dr. Cha will add a beautiful crown to the top of the root. He takes great pride in his cosmetic procedures, so you can be assured it will look just like a natural tooth. You now have a complete tooth replacement.
What if you are missing multiple teeth?
In the case of several (or even all of your teeth) needing replacement, it is up to you how many implants are placed. You can have as few as two implants to retain and entire arch of teeth, or have an implant for each missing tooth. Obviously the more implants you have, the more stable everything will be. Dr. Cha can help you decide which is the best treatment plan for you. He will give you a complimentary consultation, where you can ask questions for about 10 or 15 minutes to discuss your case.
What are the advantages of dental implants over dentures?
- They are MUCH more comfortable
- They are secure and won't fall out at embarassing times
- You can eat anything you want
- You clean them just as you would your natural teeth
- They prevent the devastating affects of facial collapse
Choosing a dental implant dentist
If you are looking for quality implant dentistry, you'll want to make sure your dentist has had sufficient training. Implant dentistry is a fairly new field, so it is not yet a recognized specialty. The downside to that is that any dentist can claim to be qualified to place implants. You don't have to worry about that with Dr. Cha. He has impeccable credentials.
The Misch Institute
The Misch institute is a world reknown dental implant post graduate study. Dr. Cha spent two years completing every course they had available, including the surgical program, bone grafting, plastic surgery, prosthetics, and cadaver programs. Dr. Cha is more than qualified to handle all aspects of dental implants.
An ICOI Fellow
The International Congress of Oral Implantologists (known as the ICOI) has challenging requirements to obtain fellowship status. Dr. Cha had to provide documentation of a large list of successful implant cases and a minimum 75 hours of continuing implant education. In order to maintain his fellowship status, he must meet further requirements.
To see if you are a candidate for dental implants, you may request a complimentary consultation.