Dental Implants in Centennial, CO

Serving the Centennial, Southglenn, and Greenwood Village communities

It can be challenging to live with the challenges posed by missing teeth. Simple things you take for granted, like eating all the foods you enjoy, is no longer an option because it is difficult to chew, and thus, your nutrition may suffer. In addition, depending on the location of the missing tooth, you may have challenges speaking clearly. Finally, the gap in your smile can make you feel self-conscious enough that you limit your interactions with others, impacting your personal and professional relationships. 

At the office of Michael Franquemont, DDS, we focus on solutions because we know you don't have to live with these obstacles that diminish your quality of life. For example, replacing missing teeth with dental implants helps restore your comfort, improves function, and makes you feel confident to share your smile again.

To learn more about dental implants in Centennial, CO, we encourage you to contact Dr. Franquemont at (303) 795-0066 to schedule an evaluation.

• Why We Recommend Dental Implants
• The Dental Implant Process
• The Benefits of Choosing Dental Implants
• Replacing Multiple Teeth With Dental Implants
• Dental Implant Aftercare
• Who Is a Candidate for Dental Implants?

There are several options for replacing missing teeth, but a dental implant is the only one designed to replace an entire tooth. A small titanium implant post is placed in your jaw to replace the lost tooth root. After the implant heals, Dr. Franquemont designs a beautiful crown, bridge, or denture to restore function and aesthetics to your smile. 

Dental implants are considered the gold standard in tooth replacement due to all the benefits they offer patients.

The Dental Implant Process in Centennial, CO

The first step is to evaluate your oral health to see if you are an appropriate candidate for dental implants. If so, a trusted local specialist will place the implant in your jaw during an in-office procedure that takes about an hour. 

It's crucial to give your implant plenty of time to heal and fuse completely with bone and tissue in your jaw. We refer to this process as osseointegration. It takes anywhere from three to six months for your implant to gain the stability to hold a dental restoration securely in place and complete your smile. 

The final step in the dental implant process is adding a crown, bridge, or denture that restores your ability to chew comfortably and fills in the gap in your smile. Our Centennial dentist would recommend a dental implant crown to replace a single tooth and a dental bridge or denture to replace multiple missing teeth. 

We have seen some tremendous advancements in the quality of the materials we use, and tooth replacement options like bridges and dentures look more natural than ever before. 

However, the drawback of a traditional denture is that it tends to be unstable because it sits on top of your gums, causing it to shift and move and leading to irritation and discomfort. In addition, the pressure that the denture puts on your jawbone to help keep it in place causes your bone to resorb and deteriorate over time, which will eventually impact the fit of your denture, and you'll need to have it relined.

Other restorations like dental bridges also don't address the jawbone loss that occurs after tooth loss. A traditional dental bridge also requires altering healthy natural teeth to anchor the crowns that support the prosthetic teeth. You don't have to impact any healthy teeth when you choose dental implants for tooth replacement or to anchor a dental bridge.

The presence of an artificial tooth root that you get from a dental implant keeps your jawbone strong and healthy because it helps stimulate the natural regeneration of bone. A healthy jawbone is essential for optimal oral health and also helps prevent a sunken facial appearance that commonly occurs after tooth loss.

Some of the additional benefits of dental implants in Greenwood Village are:

• They provide the look, feel, and function of a natural tooth.
• They offer excellent longevity with the potential to last a lifetime.
• Implants are just as easy to care for as a natural tooth - you'll brush and floss with ease.
• Because of their exceptional longevity, dental implants are often more cost-effective for patients than other tooth replacement options.
• Dental implants can replace multiple teeth by supporting a dental bridge or a denture.

Replacing Multiple Teeth With Dental Implants

Dental implants are the superior choice for patients looking to replace a single tooth, but patients missing multiple teeth can also benefit from tooth implants.

Implants can be the anchors for a dental bridge that supports one or two adjacent prosthetic teeth. Four precisely placed implants can also support a denture that Dr. Franquemont designs to snap into them.

An implant-supported denture provides exceptional stability and support, so the denture wearer doesn't have to endure embarrassing movement or slippage when they talk or eat. Implants also protect and stimulate the bone, keeping it healthy and providing better longevity than traditional denture wearers get. 

If you're dealing with the impact of losing multiple teeth, Dr. Franquemont would love to talk with you about your options for tooth replacement with the support of dental implants in Centennial.

Caring for a dental implant is as simple as caring for your natural teeth. You can brush and floss around your implant tooth with ease, and combined with your routine dental checkups and teeth cleanings, your implant will remain healthy and should serve you for many years, and even a lifetime in many cases.

A strong commitment to a consistent home care routine and regular visits to your Centennial dentist every six months will protect the health and longevity of your tooth implant.

Who Is a Candidate for Dental Implants?

Dental implants do require a couple of things to ensure their success:

• Enough healthy bone structure to successfully support the implant
• The patient is in good overall health

During your dental implant evaluation, Dr. Franquemont will discuss any dental concerns or other treatment that you should complete ensuring that your mouth is healthy and ready for your implant surgery.

If you've suffered from bone loss, he may recommend that you talk with your oral surgeon about bone grafting to rebuild your bone so it can support your tooth implant. Bone grafting introduces bone from another source to your jawbone and allows it to integrate with it over time. After healing from a bone grafting procedure for three to six months, your jawbone will be ready for your dental implant.

Procedures like bone grafting make dental implants accessible to almost every patient, even if they've suffered from bone loss in the past.

Call Us to Learn More about Tooth Implants at our Centennial Dental Office

With all the tooth replacement options available today, there's no reason to let missing teeth compromise your quality of life. So don't live another minute with a compromised or missing tooth! 

If you would like to learn more about dental implants and if they are an option for your smile, we encourage you to call our Greenwood Village dental office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Franquemont. We are conveniently located in Centennial's Southglenn neighborhood near Greenwood Village.