Dental Implants

Missing teeth are bad for your smile and for your oral health, but the talented team of dentists at Driggers & Baker Family Dentistry in West Columbia, Texas, can improve the appearance of your smile and keep your mouth healthy with dental implants, one of the most modern and effective tooth-replacement options available today.

Dental Implant Q & A

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are tiny titanium screws that are surgically implanted into your jawbone in order to replace a missing tooth. The implants fuse with the bone in your jaw, creating a strong and sturdy foundation on top of which your dentist can affix a crown, bridge, or dentures, replacing your tooth with something that looks and functions just like your natural teeth. Because they so effectively mimic the function of your natural tooth root, dental implants make it feel almost like you’ve just regrown your missing teeth.

Why do I need dental implants?

Missing teeth affect more than just the appearance of your smile; they can also be detrimental to your oral health and to the appearance of the rest of your face. Living with missing teeth can lead to a number of health and cosmetic problems, such as:

Loss of bone density in your jaw and bone loss

Higher risk of dental infections

Your natural teeth will shift or rotate to fill in the space left by the missing tooth

Jaw pain due to bite misalignment

Changes in the shape of your face due to sagging in the muscles and tissues around the missing tooth

Increased difficulty in speaking and eating

Dental implants prevent these problems from developing by functioning just like your natural teeth. And because dental implants function just like your natural teeth, they’re incredibly easy to care for and maintain. You can brush and floss them just like you would with the rest of your teeth!

How do I get dental implants?

The team of skilled dentists at Driggers & Baker Family Dentistry use top-of-the-line Nobel Biocare™ implants that are installed in a few office visits. During your first appointment, your dentist numbs your mouth with a local anesthetic, then makes a surgical incision into your gum, drills a hole in your jaw, and affixes the implant. Once the implant is in place, your dentist puts a protective healing cap over the incision site and sends you home to heal and give the implant time to fuse with your jawbone. This process usually takes between three and nine months.

Once the implant has fused, you come back for another visit, during which your dentist removes the healing cap and installs a permanent CEREC® crown; custom fabricated crown or bridge. You’ll leave the office able to speak, chew, and smile as if you never had missing teeth in the first place!

To begin your journey towards a full and healthy smile with dental implants, make an appointment today with the dental professionals at Driggers & Baker Family Dentistry by calling the office 979-345-5135.