Dental implants in Anacortes.
An implant replaces a missing tooth from the root up. We plan it from a 3D scan, place it here in our office, and make the tooth that goes on top.
Why replace a missing tooth
Your teeth work as a set. When one is lost, the others start to move: neighbors tip into the gap, the tooth above or below drifts out of place, and the teeth that are left wear faster because they're doing extra work. Over time your bite, and sometimes your jaw joint, can feel it.
What an implant is
An implant has three parts:
- The implant. A small titanium post placed in the jawbone. Its surface lets bone grow onto it, so over a few months it becomes as solid as a natural root.
- The abutment. The connector between the implant and the tooth, shaped so the new tooth lines up with the ones beside it.
- The crown. The tooth you see. It's made for you and screws onto the abutment.
Implants can replace one tooth, several teeth, or hold a full denture in place. Of all the ways to replace a tooth, they look, feel and work most like the real thing.
Implant, bridge or partial denture?
There are three ways to replace a missing tooth. We'll go through which ones fit your mouth, and what each costs, at your exam.
| Implant | Bridge | Partial denture | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed or removable | Fixed | Fixed | Removable |
| Touches the teeth beside it | No | Yes, they're shaved down to hold it | Clasps onto them |
| Cleaning | Brush and floss like a tooth | Floss has to be threaded under it | Take it out after meals and at night |
| Bone under the gap | Kept | Shrinks over time | Shrinks, sometimes faster |
| Cost up front | Highest | Middle | Lowest |
Bridges
A bridge is three or more crowns made as one piece. The teeth on either side of the gap are shaped to hold it, and it's cemented in place. It looks natural and you can't take it out. The trade-off is those neighboring teeth: they lose enamel, they're harder to clean under, and they carry a higher risk of decay.
Partial dentures
A partial denture is a removable set of teeth on a metal frame that clips to your remaining teeth. If several teeth are missing, it's the most economical way to replace them, and it keeps the teeth you have from drifting. It rests on your gums, so sore spots can happen, and it comes out to be cleaned.
After your implant
The most common problem is a screw that loosens. The tooth feels loose but stays put. It's a quick fix: we tighten or replace the screw. The second is soreness in the tooth that bites against the implant. An implant is fixed straight into bone and doesn't cushion the way a natural tooth does, so we check your bite carefully and adjust it if it's heavy.
We recommend a custom night guard once your implant is finished. It protects the implant and your other teeth and keeps everything in position. A water flosser each day keeps the gums around the implant healthy. Gum disease is the main reason implants fail, just as it is for teeth.
No dental insurance? The Sound Dental Plan takes 15% off implants.