Our Services / Implants

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are small, screw-like posts that Dr. Fieldsmith inserts into your jaw. The implants integrate with your natural bone over time, providing a foundation for restorations like a bridge, crown, or fixed denture.

Dental implants look just like your natural teeth. What’s more, if you take good care of them and visit the dentist regularly, they often last a lifetime.

What are the benefits of implants?

Dental implants offer various benefits, including:

• Easier biting and chewing
• Clearer speech
• Convenience
• Durability
• Confidence

Getting dental implants even reduces the risk of potentially serious oral health problems. By replacing missing teeth, you can prevent things like gum recession, shifting teeth, or bone loss.

Can anyone get implants?

You need healthy gums and enough jaw bone volume to get dental implants. If Dr. Fieldsmith determines that your jaw can’t support implants (through X-rays or a bone scan), he might recommend bone grafting. 

Bone grafting uses synthetic or natural bone material to increase the amount of bone in your jaw, which makes it stronger to support a dental implant.  

What does getting implants involve?

Getting implants typically takes at least three visits to Dr. Fieldsmith:

First dental implants visit

If Dr. Fieldsmith determines you qualify for implants, he administers a local anesthetic and places them. The number of implants you get depends on several factors, including how many teeth you’re missing and the type of restoration you want.

Following placement, Dr. Fieldsmith may write you a prescription for pain medication and antibiotics and provide care instructions.

Second dental implants visit

When the implants finish integrating with your jaw, several months later, you return to Dr. Fieldsmith’s practice. Dr. Fieldsmith takes impressions of your mouth and sends them to a dental laboratory. The lab uses your impressions to manufacture crowns, a bridge, or dentures.

Third dental implants visit

When your restorations are ready, you visit Dr. Fieldsmith’s office for the last time. He attaches the restorations to your implants, restoring your smile to a vibrant condition.

Do dental implant restorations require special care?

Even though implant restorations are artificial, they’re very similar in appearance and function to your permanent teeth. To keep them in great shape, Dr. Fieldsmith recommends brushing twice daily and visiting the office every six months for an oral exam and professional teeth cleaning.

If you play contact sports or grind your teeth, it’s also a good idea to protect your implant restorations by wearing a mouthguard or a night guard.

To explore the benefits of implants, make an appointment at the practice of Wayne T. Fieldsmith, DDS, by calling the office today or clicking the online booking feature.