Dental Implants in Millcreek & Salt Lake City, UT

If you have lost teeth, Dr. Keith Warr and Dr. Margaret Hyams may recommend replacing them with dental implants. Implants replace both the roots and crowns of your teeth to restore your oral health, function and smile, making them the ideal option for replacing your missing teeth. Call Warr Dental at 801-355-5385 to schedule your consultation with our dentist and learn more about dental implants in Millcreek & Salt Lake City, UT.

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are prosthetic teeth used to replace one or more missing teeth. A completed implant includes three parts:

• An implant post, which replaces the tooth root. This post is usually made of titanium or another biocompatible material.
• An abutment, which attaches to the post and is raised above the gumline.
• An implant restoration, which replaces the crown of the missing tooth. This restoration may be a single crown, a bridge, or a complete or partial denture, depending on the number of teeth begin replaced.

Implants are surgically placed into your jawbone to ensure a long-lasting result for your oral health and smile. They are intended to last for a lifetime and require the same care as your natural teeth — brushing, flossing, and regular visits to our Salt Lake dentist and team.

Who Is a Candidate for Implants?

To be a candidate for dental implants, you should have:

• Missing teeth or teeth that are damaged to the point where the need to be replaced.
• Healthy supporting bone with enough density to support your teeth and implants.
• Healthy gums.
• Good oral care habits.
• No preexisting dental conditions or have received treatment for existing conditions (such as tooth decay or gum disease).

Preparing for Implants

In most cases, patients do not need to anything to prepare to receive dental implants in Millcreek or Salt Lake City, UT. We do, however, recommend that you:

• Tell our Salt Lake dentist about any medications you are taking, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and supplements. We may recommend that you switch or stop taking certain medications or drugs for a period of time.
• Tell our Salt Lake dentist if you have a chronic health condition.
• Take prescribed antibiotics or medications as directed by our Salt Lake dentist to help prevent infection.
• Prepare for your post-implant placement recovery period prior to your procedure, such as by stocking up on soft foods and making sure someone is available to drive you to and from your appointment.
• Consider taking a day or so off. While there is no real downtime needed after your implant procedure, taking a little extra time to rest and recover can help optimize your healing and treatment results.

Our Salt Lake dentist and team will discuss all aspects of your treatment and recovery with you so that you can prepare and plan accordingly.

The Dental Implant Procedure

The dental implant procedure is fairly streamlined, and our Salt Lake dentist duo will review your treatment plan and expected timelines with you prior to beginning treatment.

Your implant post or posts will be surgically inserted into your jawbone and secured. A period of healing will then follow so that your post or posts can integrate with your jawbone. After you have recovered, our Salt Lake dentist will provide you with a crown, bridge or denture to cap the post and complete your treatment.

Recovering From Your Implant Procedure

Most patients are ready to return to work and other normal activities after a day or two of rest at home. Our team will provide you with post-op instructions for the first 24-48 hours after your procedure to help you recover. After this time, you should be able to return to normal oral care habits as directed by our dentists.

Your overall implant treatment may take several months to complete, depending on your rate of healing and how quickly the implant post integrates with your supporting bone. We will discuss the timeline of your treatment with you so you know what to expect.

Benefits of Implant Dentistry

Dental implants offer many benefits, including:

• The ability to replace your entire tooth, including the tooth root, restoring both your smile and full oral function.
• An exceptionally stable and durable final result.
• A restoration that looks, feels, and functions like your original teeth.
• A 95% success rate.
• No restrictions on foods you can eat following treatment.
• No bone loss in the treatment area — in fact, implants actually stimulate and strengthen your supporting bone.
• No shifting of the surrounding teeth.
• A final result that lasts a lifetime.

If you have questions about dental implants in Millcreek or Salt Lake City, UT, or would like to schedule your implant consultation with Dr. Warr or Dr. Hyams, please call our office at 801-355-5385. We look forward to helping you regain your smile!