Galleria Dental Aesthetics | Dental Blog
Northern Virginia, including Arlington and Alexandria
Archive for March, 2011
Are Dental Implants Very Painful?
Thursday, March 24th, 2011
Dental implants are a safe, effective, and permanent way to restore beauty and functionality to your smile. For a majority of patients, this process is entirely painless. In the rare case that you experience moderate to severe pain, our doctors can prescribe medications to increase your comfort level.
We know how important it is to feel safe and comfortable during dental procedures. If you are worried or anxious about your implant surgery, we can discuss your options for conscious sedation to put you at ease. We want you to have a positive dental implant placement experience, and we make sure that all of your concerns or questions about dental implants are addressed.
During and After Your Dental Implant Procedure
To place dental implants, a small hole is drilled directly into your jawbone by one of our experienced implant dentists. Don’t worry! This process sounds much more frightening than it actually is.
At Galleria Dental Aesthetics, we use local anesthesia to completely numb the surgical area prior to implant placement, so you won’t feel any pain. Many patients even find this process less invasive than simple tooth extractions.
We will instruct you on how to care for your dental implant to help minimize the risk of any complications. Be sure to follow our dental implant care instructions closely to keep the surgical area clean and free of infection during the healing process.
You may feel some mild discomfort in the days following your initial implant placement. However, this pain should be temporary and can usually be relieved with common over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
If you have more questions about dental implants in Northern Virginia, please contact the implant dentists at Galleria Dental Aesthetics or stop by our dentistry practice in McLean, Virginia near Tysons Corner.
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How Long do Dental Implants Last?
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011
Dental implants are titanium screws inserted into your jawbone to act as a permanent artificial tooth root. Since the dental implant fuses to your bone, implant dentistry offers a lifelong solution for missing teeth. In fact, several studies suggest that dental implants form an even stronger bond with your jawbone than your natural tooth.
Other methods of tooth replacement do not last nearly as long as dental implants. Most dental bridges, for example, have a life expectancy of seven to ten years. Partial dentures can only be expected to last for five to ten years. For this reason, dental implants have become one of the most popular forms of tooth replacement available today.
Porcelain Crowns and Implants
Your implant will last for a lifetime, but the porcelain crown secured onto your implant may not. The useful lifespan of your porcelain crown will depend entirely on how you care for it. It is possible to keep a crown for well over twenty years, but this requires excellent oral hygiene and regular dental visits to prevent decay.
Porcelain crowns may need to be replaced if they get fractured or damaged. In addition, porcelain crowns are stain resistant, so your natural teeth may become discolored more quickly than your porcelain crown. If this happens, you may decide to replace a still-functional crown for aesthetic reasons alone.
To learn more about dental implants in Northern Virginia, please contact the implant dentists at Galleria Dental Aesthetics to schedule a consultation today near McLean, Tysons Corner, Alexandria, and Fairfax, Virginia.
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Dental Implants vs. Dentures
Friday, March 18th, 2011
Dentures have been around for centuries, but cosmetic and general dentistry today offer a much more secure, comfortable solution for missing teeth—dental implants. At Galleria Dental Aesthetics, our experienced implant dentists are ready to help you enjoy a permanent solution for missing teeth and restore both beauty and functionality to your smile with dental implants in Northern Virginia.
Dental Implants: A Better Solution for Missing Teeth
The primary advantage of dental implants over dentures is that a dental implant is secured firmly to your jawbone, eliminating slippage and providing a more secure bite. Other benefits implants have over dentures include:
- Dental implants are a permanent solution for missing teeth. Your dental implant acts as an artificial tooth root, holding a porcelain crown in place for the rest of your life.
- Unlike dentures, dental implants are easy to clean. You don’t have to take your teeth out every night to clean them. The porcelain crown your implant holds in place can be brushed and flossed just like your natural teeth.
- Dental implants are painless, and will not cause any discomfort like dentures often do.
- Dental implants strengthen your jaw bone, while missing teeth can cause your jaw to shrink or lose bone density over time.
If you live in or around Tysons Corner or McLean, Virginia and are interested in learning more about the benefits of dental implants, please contact the implant dentists at Galleria Dental Aesthetics to schedule a consultation today.
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Are One-Day Dental Implants a Good Idea?
Monday, March 14th, 2011
In our fast-moving, convenience-driven economy, people often forget that doing something right often takes time. At Galleria Dental Aesthetics, we don’t rush your dental implant procedure. We pride ourselves on providing functionally superior tooth replacements that blend aesthetically with your smile. Therefore, we do not offer one-day dental implants.
The dental implant procedure requires time to ensure every piece is secure and aesthetically pleasing. Our doctors want to provide you with a long-lasting, natural-looking tooth replacement, not just a quick fix.
Dental Implant Procedure
The procedure for dental implants can take several months because the implant anchor needs to become a part of your jaw, and this process cannot be rushed. The only way to ensure a secure hold for the root of your new tooth is to let it become integrated with your jaw bone. This can take anywhere from three to six months, but will ultimately ensure a strong, permanent root for your new tooth.
After your jaw has accepted the implant, we will customize and place a porcelain crown over the implant to act as your new tooth. This porcelain crown is carefully colored and shaped to blend naturally with your adjacent teeth in order to ensure a seamless, natural looking smile. This process also requires time. A replacement tooth that is not painstakingly customized may stand out in your smile almost as badly as the gap from the missing tooth.
Taking time to make sure your replacement tooth is both strong and aesthetically perfect is important to us. One-day dental implants may be tempting, but when your implant dentist takes the time to get every step right, the beneficial results can last a lifetime.
If you live in or around Tysons Corner or McLean, Virginia and are interested in learning more about dental implants, please contact the cosmetic dentists at Galleria Dental Aesthetics to schedule an initial consultation.
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