Yesterday, a patient mentioned to Dr. Lann that she did not know he placed dental implants. Yes! Dr. Lann has been placing dental implants since 2004. If you are missing a tooth or teeth, dental implants may be your best choice for replacement. A dental implant is made from titanium. As well as having threads, it has a special coating applied to its surface which allows the bone to attach (osseointegrate) to the implant. Once the implant is placed, time is needed for healing and osseointegration. This normally takes about 3 months. After healing is complete, a component called an abutment is attached to the implant, and a crown is made to finish the restoration. An implant can replace just about any tooth, as long as there is enough bone for support. To plan an implant Dr. Lann starts with a 3D Conebeam scan of the area. This scan allows Dr. Lann to visualize the site in all three dimensions. At this time, Dr. Lann can determine the amount of bone present and can choose the size of the implant needed to restore the site. It is imperative that an accurate medical history is taken before the implant is planned.  So, let Dr. Lann know of all medical conditions before going through with the implant placement. After the implant has healed, Dr. Lann will make a beautiful crown to replace the missing tooth! Please call us at 512-255-1025 if you have any questions.
