Dental Implants
When you feel satisfied with your smile, you feel confident about your life. Dr. Liana Stein, lead Staten Island cosmetic dentist at LianaSmiles, creates dental implants for patients of all ages to restore a beautiful smile and a healthy, fully functional bite. Our exceptional team understands how difficult it can be to live with missing or severely damaged teeth — we can evaluate your needs to replace your missing teeth and help you reclaim the full integrity of your smile.
For many patients, dental implants are the “next best thing” to having their natural teeth. Tooth loss occurs for many different reasons, including decay, disease, traumatic injury, or overall dental neglect. In addition to detracting from your smile, losing teeth often creates negative effects for your overall health and well-being. Dental implants offer durable, long-lasting, and secure restorations that blend in seamlessly with your natural teeth. If you’re ready to learn more, book an appointment online or call us at (718) 273-5558 for a consultation today.
What is a Dental Implant?
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots surgically affixed to the upper and/or lower jawbone beneath the gumline. Composed of a strong titanium post, a connective abutment, and a custom-made restoration, dental implants mimic the look and feel of your actual teeth. They make it possible to eat all of your favorite foods again while preventing bone recession in the area of tooth loss — a common side effect of missing teeth. Once the implant is fully anchored to the jawbone and healed, a dentist can replace one tooth, several teeth, or an entire row of teeth with natural-looking restorations. This restores your smile and ability to bite with results meant to last a lifetime.
What are the Benefits of Dental Implants?
On top of performing, looking, and feeling like your natural teeth, dental implants offer the following advantages:
- Offers a cost-effective solution for replacing a missing tooth
- Helps retain your natural face shape and smile
- Protects your healthy jawbone
- Helps prevent decay of surrounding natural teeth
- Allows you to speak comfortably and naturally
- Doesn’t slip out of your mouth
- Enhances your ability to chew your favorite foods without pain
- Aren’t vulnerable to cavities with an implanted crown
- Delivers reliable, state-of-the-art results for tooth replacement
Perhaps most notably, dental implants prevent recession of your jawbone — a consequence of missing teeth that can change the shape of your lower face over time. For this reason, implants are usually recommended for qualified patients whenever possible.
“So here’s my story! I broke my tooth eating an onion and my general Dentist extracted it and left a big ole hole in my head. I found Dr. Stein from the accredited dentist search because I knew I didn’t want an implant that looked like an implant. Iykyk. What Dr. Stein did was magic/art. You can see that all of the years of experience and desired to get it just right show in the after photo! The best part, I never felt any pain or discomfort. 10/10 would come back.”
Who is a Candidate for Dental Implants?
Whether you’re missing one or multiple teeth, dental implants may be the perfect solution to renew the form and function of your smile. Good candidates are generally adults who have:
- Healthy gums
- Completed full jaw growth
- Adequate bone volume to support their implant(s)
- One or more missing teeth they would like to replace
Men and women who desire a more durable, long-term answer to missing teeth can be great candidates for implants. You might also benefit from this treatment if you’re irritated by dentures or if it’s time to replace a bridge or partial denture. Dr. Stein will evaluate your concerns and the state of your bone structure to help you select the best tooth replacement option for your desired results.
Many people consider dental implants life-changing and treatment is considered the “gold standard” for replacing missing teeth. That said, not all patients are good candidates for dental implants. Meet with Dr. Stein to learn more about other solutions for tooth replacement — such as dental bridges — and to discover whether implant dentistry is the best option for you.
Types of Dental Implants
Dental implants can not only restore your smile, but they also help preserve your oral health and jawbone strength. Implants are designed to function just like natural tooth roots, providing a strong and stable foundation for crowns, bridges, and full-arch restorations.
Depending on how many teeth you need to replace, Dr. Stein and your dental team may recommend one of several implant types: single-tooth implants, multiple-teeth implants, or full-arch implants. Each option offers unique benefits designed to restore both aesthetics and function to your smile.
Single-Tooth Implants
A single-tooth implant can be ideal for patients who are missing one tooth, or who have a damaged tooth requiring extraction or replacement. This type of implant replaces the entire tooth structure — from the root to the crown — without affecting the surrounding teeth. The process begins by placing a small titanium or zirconia post into the jawbone, where it fuses naturally through a process called osseointegration. Once healed, a custom-crafted dental crown is attached to the implant, perfectly matching the color, shape, and size of your natural teeth.
Multiple-Teeth Implants
When several teeth in a row are missing, multiple-teeth implants (often referred to as implant-supported bridges) offer a durable and stable restoration. Instead of replacing each missing tooth with an individual implant, two or more implants are utilized to anchor a custom-made dental bridge. This approach allows for more efficient use of dental implants, preserving bone health while minimizing the number of posts required.
After implant placement, the bridge is attached securely to the abutments, restoring your bite strength and preventing surrounding teeth from shifting out of alignment. With an implant-anchored bridge, patients require less jawbone density to replace their consecutive missing teeth.
Full-Arch Dental Implants
For patients missing all or most of their teeth, full-arch dental implants offer a transformative solution. Sometimes known as implant-supported dentures or All-on-4® and All-on-6® systems, this option uses a minimal number of implants — typically four to six — to support a complete set of upper or lower teeth.
Unlike traditional dentures that rest on the gums and slip or require adhesives, full-arch implants are securely anchored to the jawbone. This provides exceptional stability, allowing you to eat, speak, and smile with confidence.
How is the Dental Implant Procedure Performed?
Implant surgery begins with a consultation, where Dr. Stein and our team will listen to your goals, evaluate your oral health, and determine whether you would be a good implant candidate. Local anesthesia and sedation are utilized to improve patient comfort. During treatment, your oral surgeon will anchor your implant(s), composed of a thin titanium post, to the underlying jawbone. This will start the bone fusing (osseointegration) process, which typically lasts a period of four to six months. Once your gums are fully healed and your implant is in place, a custom-made crown, bridge, or denture will be attached to the connective abutment. Together, this restoration replaces both the missing tooth root and the visible tooth body. After an adjustment period, your implants should look and feel like your natural teeth.
Ready to take the first step toward a more comfortable, confident smile? Contact LianaSmiles Dentistry at our NYC practice today or schedule an appointment online to start the process of rehabilitating your smile.