Dental Implants

If you’ve lost permanent teeth due to trauma or extraction, dental implants can restore your smile and reduce the risk of other problems. At Sherman Oaks Smile Studio, cosmetic and family dentist Niki Zarabian, DDS, and the team specialize in placing and restoring dental implants. To see if you’re a candidate, make an appointment by calling the office in Sherman Oaks, California, or book online today.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants replace your natural tooth roots. Dr. Zarabian inserts them into your jaw during an outpatient procedure, and they integrate with your bone. After the fusion process finishes, Dr. Zarabian attaches a dental restoration on top of the implant, such as a crown, bridge, or implant-retained overdenture.

What are the benefits of dental implants?

Dental implants offer various benefits, including:

• Durability
• Confidence
• Improved oral health
• Easier biting and chewing
• Clearer speech

Dental implants are also convenient. You don’t need to remove or soak them like dentures. Instead, you brush and floss them.

Who is a candidate for dental implants?

To get dental implants, you need healthy gums and a healthy jaw. If the team finds that you have gum disease or low bone volume, they might recommend periodontal treatment or a bone graft before moving forward.

Additionally, let the team know if you have any underlying health problems, like heart disease or diabetes. These issues won’t keep you from getting implants, but they may increase the risk of complications, like an infection.

What is the process for getting dental implants?

At Sherman Oaks Smile Studio, getting dental implants takes at least three visits.

First dental implants visit

Dr. Zarabian reviews your dental records, performs an oral exam, and takes a series of digital X-rays to assess the health of your gums and jawbone. If everything looks good, she numbs your mouth with a local anesthetic and inserts a series of dental implants into the empty tooth sockets in your jaw.

After placing the implants, Dr. Zarabian writes you a prescription for antibiotics and pain medication and moves you to a recovery room for observation. When the anesthetic wears off, a friend or family member drives you home.

Second dental implants visit

Several months later, you return to Sherman Oaks Smile Studio after the implants finish fusing with your jawbone. Dr. Zarabian takes impressions of your mouth and sends them to a nearby dental lab. Technicians at the lab use your impressions to create custom crowns, bridges, or implant-retained dentures.

Third dental implants visit

When the dental lab finishes your restorations, you visit Dr. Zarabian and the team for the last time. Dr. Zarabian numbs your mouth with a local anesthetic, attaches the restoration(s) to your implants, and explains how to care for them.

To explore the benefits of dental implants, make an appointment at Sherman Oaks Smile Studio by calling the office or booking online today.