Restore Your Smile With Dental Implants in Little Rock, AR

Make Missing Teeth A Thing Of The Past

Living with missing teeth can present challenges, affecting not only your smile but also your ability to speak and eat comfortably. Patients often lose confidence and may encounter nutritional issues due to limited food choices. Dental implants provide a revolutionary solution to these problems. Surgeons surgically place artificial tooth roots, typically made of titanium, into your jawbone to support replacement teeth or bridges.

Dental implants, unlike dentures, offer a permanent and stable foundation for artificial teeth, closely mimicking the feel and function of natural teeth. By choosing dental implants, you don’t just restore your smile; you reclaim the comfort and confidence to enjoy your daily life.

Advantages of Dental Implants

Compared to conventional types of tooth replacement, dental implants offer a significant advantage, including the benefits of an investment that is:

• Non-invasive to adjacent teeth
• Capable of restoring as few or many teeth as necessary
• Highly predictable
• Beneficial to the overall function of your mouth
• Supportive of your natural facial profile

Dental implants are also a convenient and safe option for senior patients seeking to restore missing teeth permanently. Learn more about dental implants for seniors here.

Discover Modern Dental Implant Treatment

As a leading dentist in Little Rock, AR, our practice has invested in the latest dental technology, including modern scanning techniques, to ensure the most precise and minimally invasive implant therapy possible. During the planning process, we can conduct virtual placement and pre-determine the exact location of each implant before scheduling surgery.

CT scanning enables accurate implant placement through pre-mapped precision surgical guides customized for your procedure. These resources streamline treatment, ensuring a highly predictable outcome and minimizing discomfort and recovery time after implant surgery.

The precision guide ensures we place each implant in the same location as where it was mapped during your virtual treatment plan prior to your actual surgery.

Ideal Candidates For Dental Implant Surgery

Dental implants are a suitable solution for many, but they are especially ideal for individuals who have good general and oral health.

• Adequate bone in the jaw to support the implant is a key requirement for the success of the procedure.
• Patients who maintain good oral hygiene and attend regular dental visits are typically excellent candidates.
• It’s also important for candidates to be free from certain health conditions that can affect bone healing.
• If you suffer from chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease, or if you’re a heavy smoker, you may need an evaluation to determine if dental implants are suitable for you.

We welcome you to consult with our Little Rock dental team to assess your eligibility for dental implants and to explore how we can transform your oral health and smile.

Types of Dental Implant Restorations

Your dental implant is essentially an artificial root that supports a fixed restoration on top of it to replace the missing tooth. Implant restorations are designed from high-quality porcelains and other durable aesthetic materials for optimal design and appearance. This is what the full structure looks like:

Some of the types of restorations our Little Rock dentists provide, include:

Porcelain Crowns — An individual dental implant is usually the preferred treatment of choice for replacing a missing tooth. The porcelain crown attaches on top of the single implant, mimicking the design, look and function of a natural tooth.

Fixed Bridges — For multiple missing teeth, an implant-supported bridge can eliminate the need to wear a partial denture. Implant bridges span the length of 3-4 teeth and are supported on either end by an implant (as opposed to traditional bridges, which are anchored onto natural teeth).

Removable Implant Dentures — It’s possible to deliver a denture that’s stabilized by dental implants to prevent dentures from floating and slipping due to a loose fit. After your implants are fully integrated with your bone, typically around 4 to 6 months, a new denture will be custom-made to attach to your implants and anchor the denture in place.

The Treatment Timeline

After your initial exam, CT scan, and consultation, your dental implant process can typically take a few months to complete. Each step in the process is tailored to help your implants fuse successfully. Because there may be extra procedures involved and because each patient heals differently, restoration times from start to finish will vary, but generally anywhere from 6 to 12 months.

Harris, Reynolds and Cason Family Dental’s Implant Placement Process

The journey to a restored smile with dental implants involves several key steps:

• Initial Consultation: Your journey begins with a comprehensive evaluation where we discuss your needs and assess your oral health. This may involve X-rays or 3D images to plan the best approach for implant placement.
• Implant Placement Procedure: Under local anesthesia, the dental implant, a small titanium post, is surgically placed into the jawbone where your tooth is missing. This serves as a substitute for the tooth root and provides a stable foundation for the new tooth.
• Healing and Bone Integration: After the implant is placed, a period of healing, typically a few months, is necessary for the implant to integrate with the bone, a process known as osseointegration.
• Abutment and Crown Placement: Once your implant has integrated with the jawbone, an abutment is attached to hold the new tooth. Finally, a custom-made crown, designed to match your natural teeth, is placed on top of the abutment.

This process may vary slightly for each individual, and we ensure personalized care and guidance at every step.

Aftercare and Maintenance

Caring for your dental implants is similar to caring for your natural teeth. This includes:

• Regular Cleaning: Brush and floss daily to keep the implant and surrounding teeth clean.
• Routine Dental Visits: Regular check-ups and cleanings are essential to maintain the health of the implant and your overall oral health.
• Avoiding Harmful Habits: Chewing hard items, smoking, or neglecting oral hygiene can compromise the longevity of your implant.

With proper care and maintenance, dental implants can last a lifetime.

Risks and Considerations

While dental implants have a high success rate, there are some risks and considerations:

• Surgical Risks: As with any surgery, there’s a risk of infection, bleeding, and nerve damage.
• Success Rate: Factors like bone density, overall health, and oral hygiene play a role in the success of the implant.
• Long-Term Commitment: Dental implants require a commitment to oral hygiene and regular dental visits for check-ups.

We will discuss these factors in detail during your consultation to ensure you have all the necessary information to make an informed decision.

We provide Dental Implants in Little Rock!

For customized dental implants in Little Rock, contact Harris, Reynolds & Cason Family Dental. We’ve proudly served the greater Little Rock area for 20 years. Request your appointment today.

More questions? Visit our Dental Implants FAQ page!