Dental Implants Tampa & Westchase FL

What are dental implants?

Similar to how a natural tooth is comprised of a crown with roots, a dental implant is made of a crown that is supported by an implant screw that is placed in your jaw by an oral surgeon. The implant is made of titanium, a material that has the biocompatibility to fuse with your jawbone, establishing a secure and permanent attachment.

How do implants work?

When top Tampa Oral Surgeon Dr. Valiente places a titanium screw in your jawbone, it acts as the roots for your new artificial tooth. Through the process of osseointegration, the implant fuses with your jawbone, making the dental implant a permanent tooth replacement. The fusion of implant to bone takes time, but once healing is complete, we place an abutment on the implant which is a post that holds the crown—the final restoration of your new tooth. Occasionally, we give you a temporary tooth until the placement of the permanent crown.

What are the steps in having a dental implant placed?

You’ll begin with a consultation appointment with Dr. Valiente in which he will assess your overall health and the health of your jawbone. Once we’ve reviewed the different options that would work best for you, we work together to create a treatment plan, including the form of anesthesia you’d like to use.

During surgery, we place a titanium screw in your jaw that acts as an anchor or root for your artificial tooth. Through a process called osseointegration, or more simply put, the implant fuses with the jawbone, permanently stabilizing the new tooth and allowing it to function naturally.

After your surgery, we schedule several follow-up appointments with you. Once the implant has healed, we perform another short procedure (if necessary) to expose the implant so that your restorative dentist can begin making a crown. We occasionally place a temporary tooth on the new implant to provide you with the best aesthetic results.

How long do dental implants take?

We are excited to implement the latest advancements in implant technology, including the placement of single-stage implants rather than having you return for multiple procedures. This typically requires a two-month healing period between implant surgery and the placement of your permanent crown. In most situations, we are also able to extract your tooth and place your implant during the same appointment, requiring even fewer procedures. Every patient’s case is unique, so the length of the dental implant process varies between patients. Most implant journeys take 3-6 months.

If you are missing all or most of your teeth, we have a variety of implant-supported replacements, including full-arch restorations. From ball-attachment dentures to screw-retained fixed dentures, we’ve got you covered.

Dr. Valiente partners with your restorative dentist to ensure you receive the highest level of comprehensive care possible. Your oral surgeon is generally responsible for the tooth extraction (if needed), the bone grafting (if needed), and the implant surgery. Your dentist makes and places your final restoration.