Dental Implants in St. Paul, MN

Replacing missing teeth with dental implants at our St. Paul, MN dental office provides our patients with the most stable solution available. They fill the gap in your smile and restore function to your bite.

Dental implants also prevent bone loss, which is common when you lose teeth, and prevent your remaining teeth from shifting. It’s key to fill in the space left by missing teeth because it will protect the health of your remaining teeth.

Dental implants integrate with your bone, just like a natural tooth, and become part of your dental system, making it possible to enjoy an unrestricted diet. Implants can replace one, several, or even all of your natural teeth. There doesn’t need to be one implant for each missing tooth. A full dental arch of teeth that don’t come out, like natural teeth, can be placed on as few as four dental implants.

We believe it’s crucial for patients who have missing teeth to understand their tooth replacement options. Before you come to our St. Paul, MN dental office to find out if dental implants are right for you, we invite you to take a look at the information below. Then we welcome your questions when you make an appointment at High Grove Dental Care to learn more about dental implants and other tooth replacement options.

Dental implants require precise treatment planning and several steps to complete. Your dentist will begin with an evaluation of your oral health and bone density, verifying that you are a good candidate for dental implant placement. If you do not have enough healthy bone to support a dental implant, bone grafting is available at our St. Paul, MN dental office, so that you can still have the smile you deserve.

Dental Implant Surgery in St. Paul, MN

Digital imaging is used at our St. Paul, MN dental office to identify the ideal location for your dental implant, then the implant is surgically placed. Patients tolerate this treatment well and report very little discomfort, which is usually manageable with an over-the-counter pain reliever.

If you have anxiety about your appointment, we offer sedation dentistry at our St. Paul, MN dental office to help you relax.

Integration and Healing

Waiting is sometimes the hardest part! It’s natural to feel excitement about your new smile, but waiting a sufficient amount of time for your bone and your dental implant to heal is an essential part of the treatment process. This usually takes between three and six months.

During this period of healing, it is usually possible to make a temporary replacement for your missing teeth. We understand that our St. Paul, MN patients do not wish to have missing teeth while they wait for their dental implants to heal. Full integration results in higher success rates because your dental implant will be able to withstand the force of chewing.

Dental Implant Restoration

The final part of the dental implant process in St. Paul, MN is designing your implant crown, bridge, or full arch replacement. Drs. John Grittner or Jadilyn Nguyen Grittner expertly plans the size, shape, and color of your dental implant restoration in order to achieve a perfect fit and natural appearance. The porcelain we use is both durable and esthetic. Your dental implant will match your surrounding teeth, blending in with your smile. No one will ever notice that it is not your natural tooth.

Caring for Your Dental Implant

One of the most convenient features of dental implants is that you can treat them as you would your natural teeth. Single dental implants placed at our St. Paul, MN dental office require only regular brushing, flossing, and professional dental cleanings to ensure that you avoid conditions such as periodontal disease, which can cause your dental implant to fail.

You can eat normally, avoiding the same hard substances that can damage your natural teeth, such as chewing ice and hard candy. If you grind your teeth, we may recommend a night guard to protect your teeth and implant from damage.

Your dentist will monitor the health of your dental implant at your regular dental exams, making sure that it provides many years of reliable service.

Full tooth loss can be devastating. At our judgment-free dental office, we simply want to help restore your smile and give you back your confidence. This is why our top Saint Paul, MN implant dentist offers dental implants.

If you have full tooth loss, implant-supported dentures are the best option for patients of our St. Paul, MN dental office. Implant-supported dentures mean that only a few dental implants, usually four, can support an entire denture.

A dental implant is a thin post implanted in your jaw. This post fuses with your jawbone naturally over a period of months. When bonding is complete, you’re ready for a natural-looking replacement tooth.

Implant-supported dentures work much the same way, and there are many benefits compared with removable dentures.

These benefits include:

• No adhesives because your denture is attached
• No realign appointment because your jawbone doesn’t shrink away from your denture
• Less jawbone shrinkage because your implant posts stimulate your jawbone

Implant-supported dentures in Saint Paul, MN are available now, and we’re accepting new patients!

Tooth Replacement Options in Saint Paul

You might wonder about your other options for replacing missing teeth in St. Paul, MN. In general, there are three methods for replacing missing teeth: dental implants, a fixed bridge, or removable dentures.

An implant is a solid tooth shaped fixture that is placed in the jawbone that becomes permanently attached to the bone. Implants can be used to replace a single tooth, multiple teeth, or even to replace all teeth. Teeth can be attached to implants that do not come out and look and feel like normal teeth or implants can be used to support and make a full denture or partial denture more stable. You do not need one implant for each missing tooth, as few as four implants can support one full arch in a restoration that is fixed in place like teeth instead of a removable full denture.

A fixed bridge is a dental restoration that attaches to the teeth on either side of a space. As implied by the name, a fixed bridge does not come out. They look and feel like teeth and are very stable.

A removable partial denture attaches to the remaining teeth for stability and replaces multiple missing teeth.

Full dentures replace all missing teeth.

Patients today have many options in replacing missing teeth. There are advantages and disadvantages to each method. After you come to our St. Paul, MN dental office to meet with one of our dentists, we can help you decide which option might be best for your situation.

Contact Highgrove Dental Care in Saint Paul for More Information

Whether you are anxious to get started or you still have questions about dental implants, we welcome you to call our St. Paul dental office for a free consultation. Our Highgrove Dental Care team looks forward to hearing from you. Our team is always here to make you feel welcome!