Dental Implants in Arlington, WA

If tooth loss has left unattractive gaps in your smile, you are fortunate to have several replacement options available to you. Dental implants, in particular, have become very popular and with good reason; an implant replaces an entire missing tooth and is the solution that most closely replicates the form, function, and appearance of a real tooth.

Dr. Andrew Kim, DDS is pleased to offer complete implant services, from placement to restoration, at our Arlington, WA dental office. Assisted by a wealth of leading-edge technology, Dr. Kim uses dental implants to replace one tooth, several teeth, or an entire upper or lower arch of missing teeth with dental implants.

What Are Some Dental Implant Benefits?

Dental implants differ from tooth replacement options like bridges and dentures in one critical way; they replace an entire missing tooth—from the root in your jaw to the tooth crown that shows when you smile.

This is an important difference because when the root portion of a tooth is present, it stimulates regeneration of the jawbone. When a tooth root is lost, this process stops and the bone starts to shrink or resorb.

The loss of support for your facial features gives your face a sunken and aged appearance, and as bone continues to break down, can lead to additional tooth loss.

A dental implant not only restores your confidence by completing your smile with a realistic tooth replacement, but it’s also good for your oral health!

What’s the Process for Getting a Dental Implant

Dr. Kim uses his knowledge and expertise along with modern dental technology to assist him with implant placement. Using 3-D cone beam imaging, he not only determines if you’re a good implant candidate but also meticulously plans the placement of the post in your jaw.

Dental implants have a remarkable 95 percent success rate, and proper placement is the key. By planning the precise placement of your implant beforehand, Dr. Kim can ensure the best possible long-term results.

Placing Your Dental Implant

Placing a dental implant takes about an hour here at our comfortable Arlington, WA dental office. It’s a straightforward procedure that’s more comfortable than you might think, but we do offer sedation dentistry if you’d like a more relaxing experience.

After Dr. Kim places the implant, we need to wait for several months while it heals and bonds securely with the bone and tissue in your jaw. Once it does, the next step is to place a connector piece called an abutment that attaches the dental restoration to the implant.

Restoring Function and Appearance

The tooth restoration we choose depends on how many teeth you need to replace. For single tooth replacement, we would customize a beautiful porcelain dental crown; for multiple teeth, Dr. Kim would recommend a bridge, partial denture, or full implant denture.

The benefit of implant dentures is that they won’t shift and move around in your mouth. They stay securely in place so you can laugh, eat, and speak with confidence again.

Are You a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

Missing teeth can have a dramatic negative effect on your quality of life, but replacing them with dental implants gives you back your smile, comfort, and confidence.

If you would like to see if you are a good candidate for dental implants, please call Sound Dental Solutions in Arlington, WA at (360) 548-3188 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Kim.