Dental Implants

Dental Implants in San Antonio, TX

Losing teeth can create a struggle in self-esteem, oral health, and overall wellness. Thankfully, tooth loss can be a trouble of the past with implant dentistry. At Local Dental San Antonio, Drs. Joung and Minkyung Lee offer affordable dental implants to help patients regain control of their smile, bite, and daily life.

What are dental implants?

Sometimes called “teeth implants,” dental implants are tooth-replacement devices that mimic a natural tooth root. They consist of three parts:

Dental Implant

The dental implant is the titanium or zirconia post that our dental implant dentists surgically embed into the jawbone. This part of the implant mimics the natural tooth root, which stabilizes the tooth and maintains jawbone health.

Abutment

The abutment connects the dental implant and the crown.

Implant Crown

Implant crowns are the part that everyone should see! Dental implant crowns closely mimic natural teeth functionally and aesthetically.

Are dental implants right for me?

Ideal candidates for dental implants display decent oral and overall wellness, free of gum disease.

While this isn’t a deal breaker, we prefer that patients have adequate bone in the jaw—ample enough to support the dental implant post. However, sinus lifts and bone grafts can create adequate bone density if your jawbone is too soft or thin to support an implant

Treatment Expectations

For new patients, we strongly suggest filling out new patient forms and submitting insurance information for a more efficient first visit.

How long do dental implants take? While the initial procedure can take 1 to 2 hours, the healing time is spread over several months and typically requires several procedures to ensure proper placement.

Furthermore, we’ve outlined what to expect before, during, and after each dental implants procedure.

Before

After taking CBCT scans and physical exams, as well as discussing dental implant cost and financing options, our dentists create an individualized dental implant treatment plan. A potential essential component of this treatment plan is preliminary procedures. If necessary, we expect patients to address tooth decay, gum disease, and jawbone density before starting a dental implant journey. The goal of preliminary procedures is to create as perfect conditions as possible for the dental implant and implant-supported restorations.

During

Step 1: Dr. Lee surgically embeds the implant post into the bone. Before leaving the office, we offer immediate implant temporization, which means we provide a temporary implant-supported device as the body heals. Step 2: Over a few weeks to a few months, the bone and implant fuse together in an osseointegration process. Step 3: We uncover the healed dental implant, place the abutment, and provide implant temporization. Step 4: We replace the temporary crown with the final, custom-made dental crown.

After

As with any dental work, dental implants take some time to get accustomed to. For instance, patients might initially feel soreness or discomfort. Also, we strongly suggest avoiding eating hard, sticky, or chewy foods for the first couple of weeks as the dental implant settles. Furthermore, dental implant patients must prioritize oral hygiene to avoid failure. This includes daily brushing and flossing, plus regular visits to the dentist’s office.

Discover the Dental Implant Difference

Dental implants can enhance oral health and appearance. If you’re unsure if dental implants could benefit your life, Drs. Joung and Minkyung Lee help patients decide if they qualify for dental implants.

Take advantage of our online booking or conveniently call (210) 686-1486. The San Antonio community can trust the Local Dental team to keep individuals and families healthy, happy, and feeling at home.