Living with missing teeth can be challenging. Whether it’s feeling self-conscious about gaps in your smile or struggling to chew the foods you would typically eat, you may wish you had your natural teeth back. With dental implants, you can essentially do just that!
Dental implants in Charlotte flawlessly recreate how your original pearly whites looked, felt, and functioned – and they can potentially last a lifetime. And, with the advanced training that Dr. Sergei Shirman has completed, you can have the entire treatment done in one location.
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is unique in that it replaces your root and your tooth. There’s no other tooth replacement option that can do both.
The implant takes the place of your root after Dr. Shirman carefully places it into your jawbone, and we give it time to integrate and fuse with your bone. After it completely fuses with your bone, it’s ready to support your new tooth or crown.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
As a graduate of the Engel Implant Institute, Dr. Shirman can conveniently perform every step of the dental implant process right here in our Charlotte dental office. Of course, every patient is different, but most can expect to go through four phases:
- Consultation – During the initial visit, Dr. Shirman will closely examine your mouth and jaw, take x-rays, and use 3-D images to create a treatment plan.
- Dental implant surgery – Thanks to Dr. Shirman’s expertise, you can have the implants surgically placed without needing to travel to a separate specialist’s office.
- Osseointegration & abutment placement – You’ll spend the next three to six months allowing your jawbone to heal and bond with the implant posts during an osseointegration process. Once your implant is properly fused with your bone, Dr. Shirman can attach metal connectors called abutments on top of them.
- Attachment of final restoration – Finally, your customized prosthetic tooth (porcelain crown) or teeth (dentures or a bridge) will be secured atop your abutments.