Dental Implant Restoration
Dental Implants in Dillon, CO
Are missing teeth causing you embarrassment and discomfort? A great smile makes you feel good about yourself, but a missing tooth can really have a negative impact on your confidence. While dental implants have been around for many years, the technology continues to improve, and are now the preferred tooth replacement method at 
Summit Dental Group.
Drs. Mitchell and Schneider have received extensive education in dental implant technology so they can offer our patients high-quality dental care using the most current information and standards available. Using this updated knowledge and technology, they can create dental implant restorations that look and function just like your natural teeth. Dental implants are a great option for replacing missing teeth because they are durable, comfortable, and allow you to eat, drink, and speak normally.
What Do Dental Implants Do?
Dental implants act as a replacement for the root of one or more missing teeth. But they also serve the purpose of helping to maintain your optimal oral health. Dental implants play a valuable role because they prevent surrounding natural teeth from becoming unstable and drifting into the empty space left by a missing tooth. The implanted portion is actually placed directly into the jaw to help prevent deterioration of the surrounding bone.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
A dental implant is actually a three-piece unit:
Implant: The implant portion is a very small titanium post surgically placed in the jawbone in the location of the missing root. Titanium is a biocompatible material, which means surrounding bone is naturally attracted to it and ultimately grows around the implant. The resulting bond creates a durable and stable foundation for the restoration that will be attached to it.
Abutment: Once the implant has completely healed and bonded with the surrounding bone, our Summit County Dentist will attach a small connector piece called an abutment is attached to the post. This sits just above and below the gum line and holds the restoration securely in place.
Restoration: The dental restoration, or crown, is the portion of the implant that is visible when you smile. Drs. Mitchell and Schneider will take impressions that are used to 
create the replacement tooth (the dental crown). We match the shape and color of the crown so that it blends in naturally and beautifully with your own teeth. Dental implants can also be used to stabilize restorations like bridges and dentures.
Aside from the oral health benefits that implants provide, they are also effective because they allow you to chew and speak normally. The dental restoration is anchored by the implant in your jaw, so it looks, feels, and functions just like your own natural teeth. Since the implant portion bonds with your jaw bone, it should last a lifetime. With proper care, the crown will also last for many years, but may eventually need to be replaced.
Call Us for More Information About Dental Implants in Summit County
Having a dental implant placed is a big decision, and we want you to understand the benefits and exactly what is involved. If Drs. Mitchell and Schneider decide you are a good candidate for a dental implant, we can assure you that we will guide you through every step of the process. Please contact our Dillon dental office for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
One of the reasons that dental implants are so popular at our Dillon dental office is that they look and feel so much like a real tooth. Dental implants offer a lot of benefits that are not available with other tooth replacement options. This includes being easy to care for.
Why Are Implants Effective?
Dental implants are so effective because they are supported by a very small titanium post that is placed in your jaw. Over time, your jaw bone integrates with this little post, and it becomes a replacement root.
Unlike a dental bridge, which is simply an artificial tooth that is held in place by two crowns, a dental implant actually becomes part of your jaw. This eliminates a lot of the problems, like instability, that are common with a dental bridge.
Once your implant is ready, we attach a dental crown. This becomes the part of the implant that is visible and functional for chewing.
Care As Normal
You care for this restoration as you would any other dental crown. Brush and floss as normal, and avoid biting down on any hard foods like nuts, that could crack the crown or cause it to loosen.
It’s as simple as that! Please contact our Dillon dental office if you would like more information about caring for dental implants.v
The Effect of Missing Teeth
The biggest concern associated with missing teeth is tooth alignment problems. One or more missing teeth allow surrounding teeth to shift into the empty space, creating a domino effect that results in alignment issues and difficulties with your dental bite.
These problems can potentially lead to premature wear, teeth grinding, and chipped or fractured teeth. Replacing missing teeth is also important because all your teeth are designed to work together to allow you to chew and speak properly. Missing teeth look unattractive the loss of even one tooth can make these basic functions difficult.
Tooth Replacement Options
Tooth replacement options like dental bridges and dental implants are effective because they not only prevent teeth from shifting, but they also restore functionality, allowing you to chew and speak normally. In addition, they provide a cosmetic solution by filling the gaps left by missing teeth.
It is important for you to have teeth that allow you to speak and chew normally, but missing teeth also detract from your self-confidence. If you have questions about the solution that is best for you, please contact us, we will be more than happy to answer your questions and discuss your options.
Dental Implant Construction
Basically, a dental implant is a replacement tooth. It is different from bridges and dentures because it does not just fill the space left by a missing tooth. The implant becomes part of your jaw and actually functions in exactly the same way as a natural tooth.
The dental implant is actually made up of three pieces. The first piece is the implant, a tiny post that is placed directly in your jaw bone. It is made of titanium, a material which eventually bonds securely with bone and tissue, becoming part of your jaw.
The next two parts – the abutment and crown - create the restoration that is attached to the implant at our Summit dental office, and will be custom-made to look just like a natural tooth. Since the implant portion fuses naturally with your jaw bone, the restoration has a stable and durable base on which to sit.
The Effect of a Dental Implant
Once the dental implant is placed, it looks completely natural, and even you may not be able to tell which tooth is an implant! Not only can a dental implant be used to replace one or more missing teeth, it can also be used to hold bridges and dentures securely in place.
Drs. Mitchell and Schneider are experts at fashioning dental implant restorations that are durable and blend beautifully with your natural teeth. Please contact our Summit dental office if you would like more information about dental implants and how they can benefit you.
While dental implants are considered to be a permanent tooth replacement, there’s a bit more information we need to share about the way implants are constructed.
How Dental Implants are Constructed
A single dental implant is actually made up of three pieces - the implant, abutment, and restoration. The implant is a small post that is surgically placed in the jaw, and integrates fully with surrounding bone and tissue as it heals. Because it becomes part of your jaw, the implant portion is permanent.
Once the implant has healed and is fully integrated with the jaw, the abutment is attached. This creates an extension piece to which Drs. Mitchell and Schneider will attach the dental restoration, or crown. The crown is the portion of the implant that is functional, allowing you to speak and chew normally. It is also the aesthetic replacement for the missing tooth.
Caring for a Dental Implant
So, to answer your question, the implant portion is permanent because it is now part of your mouth. It provides a very durable, stable base for the crown, which should provide you with many years of use. But, like any other dental crown, you do need to treat it with care and avoid foods and activities that can damage or break it.
There’s a lot to learn about dental implants, and we welcome your questions. Please contact our Summit dental office, and we will be happy to arrange a consultation to discuss dental implants and your other tooth replacement options.
Dental implants are one of the most remarkable innovations we’ve seen in dentistry in recent years. In the past, if you had missing teeth, you had the option of having a dental bridge placed or getting dentures.
What Makes Dental Implants Unique?
While both are still good choices in certain cases, they only fill the space left by a missing tooth. Dental implants are completely different because they consist of a tiny post that is placed surgically in your jaw. Over time, the implant bonds completely with surrounding tissue in your jaw, creating an artificial root.
This provides sufficient stability for Drs. Mitchell and Schneider to create a dental restoration that is held securely in place, leaving you with a tooth that looks, functions, and feels just like a natural tooth. The best part is that you don’t have to worry about developing a cavity in that tooth.
How Long is Recovery for a Dental Implant?
Any restoration will take a few days to get used to, but in a short amount of time you won’t be able to feel any difference between the implant and your own teeth.
At our Summit Dental office, we restore many dental implants with results that are truly remarkable. Please contact our office if you’ve been living with missing teeth and would like more information about how dental implants can benefit you.
Meet Our Doctor:
Dr. Steven Mitchell DDS
Dr. Mitchell attended Florida State University and The University of Notre Dame for his undergraduate education and obtained his dental training at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and the University of Memphis. He also has extensive postgraduate education, specifically selecting courses focusing on oral surgery and dental implants. His most recent training in full-mouth rehabilitation allows him to provide smile makeovers to his patients for confident, healthy, beautiful smiles. His commitment to lifelong education means he is constantly evaluating emerging dental methods and technologies in order to provide ...