FAQs about restoring your implants and supporting a lifetime of healthy smiles
At Brighton Park Dental, we are one of the leading offices in southwest Chicago, Illinois, to provide complete care for dental implants. Drs. Aroon Pal, Nilay Patel, and Taylor Jemilo have acquired advanced training in the surgical placement of implants. At other dentists’ offices, they may refer the process of surgery out to other dentists or specialists. They can restore the implant with the new tooth, but they cannot place it. Restoration services also extend to how we approach maintaining your implants.
How do you restore implants?
Generally, after the implants are surgically placed, the process of this artificial tooth root joining to the surrounding jawbone will begin. This is a natural and safe process. It helps to ensure that the implant is secure in the bone and can provide a good foundation for the dental restoration that will later be attached to it. We can attach the restorations or new teeth once the implants have fully fused or integrated with the bone.
What are the different types of restorations?
If you are missing a single tooth, we can use one implant and attach it to a dental crown. If you are missing a few teeth, we may use a couple of implants and attach them to a dental bridge. Lastly, we can also replace most or all of the teeth in your smile with implant-supported dentures. As few as four to six implants may be secured in the jawbone and then attached to the upper or lower denture. So, we can place a complete or full denture with as few as eight implants.
Can I get my restoration right away?
We can provide temporary or provisional restorations. In fact, there is a type of denture called an immediate denture, which involves placing a provisional or temporary denture and then providing you with the final denture after the tissues in your mouth have healed. It is possible to complete everything at once, from extractions and implants placement to receiving your first denture.
How do I care for my new teeth?
We will go over this with you in great detail and can tailor recommendations to your needs. In general, it is absolutely imperative to keep up with good brushing and flossing. Restorations do not decay like natural teeth, but the implant itself is vulnerable to damage. When the implant is damaged or fails due to inconsistent or inadequate hygiene, it threatens the stability of your restorations. It’s also essential to maintain visits to our Chicago office as recommended by your dentist.
What can I expect during a visit?
We will examine your remaining natural teeth as well as the gums and bone surrounding your implants/implant-supported teeth. If problems are present, we want to catch them early. It’s generally easier to resolve these early-stage problems rather than to play catch-up and react to bigger complications later. Depending on what we find, adjustments to home care may be recommended. Of course, no visit would be complete without a professional cleaning. This cleaning also helps to minimize the risk factors (such as the overgrowth of harmful bacteria and plaque build-up) responsible for the development of destructive implant disease.
If you are concerned about any changes with your implants, we encourage you to contact Brighton Park Dental right away. Call (773) 801-5171 to speak with a member of our team—we are here to help!
