What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are the most tooth-like replacement option. A dental implant consists of the implant itself and a dental crown.

Your Houston implant dentist inserts the dental implant into your jawbone, often in the exact spot where your natural tooth used to be. The implant, most often made from titanium, bonds to your jawbone, so it’s securely fixed in your mouth, similar to natural teeth.

A dental crown attaches to the implant, usually with a small piece called an abutment, providing the visible part of the tooth that you use for smiling, talking, and chewing.

Instead of a dental crown, dental implants can attach to larger restorations, too, such as a dental bridge. We also offer the All-on-4 dental implant system, which can replace an entire arch of teeth with just four dental implants.

What Makes Dental Implants a Better Choice?

Dental implants offer significant benefits over other tooth replacement options. These are the only tooth replacement option that replaces your lost tooth root. This gives numerous benefits, including:

Beauty

Dental implants look like natural teeth. When people see you smile, hear you talk, or see you eat, they will probably not be able to tell that you have dental implants or identify which teeth might be implanted.

Function

Dental implants let you bite, chew, and talk normally. You’ll be able to eat all your favorite foods, and you won’t have to relearn how to chew and talk or worry about dentures falling out of your mouth.

Longevity

Dental implants attach securely to your jawbone. This allows them to last a long time, possibly for life with proper care. About 90% of implants last more than 20 years, with some lasting more than 40 years.

Dental implants are the only tooth replacement option that protects your future dental health too. While traditional bridges, dentures, and partial dentures replace the crown portion of missing teeth, they do not restore the tooth root. Without the root, the bone starts to weaken and recede, causing mounting dental problems:

Misalignment

If you delay treatment, the socket of the missing tooth starts deteriorating almost immediately. This can cause neighboring teeth to shift into the gap, leading to misalignment and uneven wear on teeth.

Facial Collapse

If you are missing most of your teeth, a shrinking jawbone can cause your face to sag, making you look older than you are. Traditional dentures can accelerate the deterioration of your jaw.

More Tooth Loss

Without stimulation from the tooth root, your jawbone gets weaker and begins to shrink. As the jaw recedes you can lose even more teeth, which will require additional dental work.

woman standing outside with hand bag shows off her natural looking smile with dental implants

What Sets Stephens & Gatewood Dentistry Apart

Implant dentistry is an exacting field that requires precision and attention to detail for long-lasting results. The highly trained implant dentists at Stephens & Gatewood Dentistry in the Houston area use proven methods and state-of-the-art technology to create beautiful smiles that will serve you well for decades and look like your natural teeth.

Expertise

We have been placing implants for more than 20 years and have extensive training in implantology. We understand the proven principles of implantology for achieving optimum results and beautiful restorations. Our expertise allows us to treat complex cases and customize your procedure to meet your unique needs and aesthetic goals.

Technology

We use the latest technology to promote long-lasting, natural-looking results. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) allows us to assess bone density for the ideal placement of dental implants. To ensure precise placement, we create a custom surgical guide for each procedure to position the dental implant exactly as planned.

Comfort

You can receive dental implants with little to no discomfort, thanks to the gentle touch of our Houston implant dentists, our modern technology, luxury amenities, and skilled sedation techniques. If you are anxious about treatment or have a sensitive gag reflex, we can customize your level of sedation to ensure your comfort throughout the procedure.

Consultations for Dental Implants in Houston

If you are unsure about dental implants, or have been told in the past that you don’t qualify, we invite you to book a consultation to learn more about implants and determine which options will bring back your smile and give you a strong, healthy bite.

Advanced implant techniques let more people than ever before qualify for dental implants. In fact, some newer methods use fewer implants, which makes treatment quicker and less expensive.

To learn what’s possible, we encourage you to call us at (281) 320-2000 to book a consultation with Stephens & Gatewood Dentistry, serving the Houston area from our Cypresswood and Auburn Lakes locations in Spring, TX.