Dental Implants
WELCOME TO KARLA R MCDONALD DDS
Dental Implants replace natural teeth lost to dental disease or trauma. They look, feel, and function the most like your natural teeth. Regardless of what you choose to replace your missing teeth, it is critical to schedule an appointment at the office of Karla R. McDonald DDS as soon as possible to avoid problems caused by an incomplete set of teeth.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
The first thing you should know about dental implants is that they can replace anything from a single missing tooth to all your natural teeth. You typically need to attend two or three appointments from the time of your initial consultation until Dr. McDonald has attached your replacement teeth.
During your consultation, Dr. McDonald will ask several questions about your general and oral health. She will take X-rays to help our laboratory technicians create your new dental implants.
Dr. McDonald will let you know if you are a good candidate for dental implants during this appointment. One reason you may not be is that you do not have a strong enough bone structure to support the implanted screws in your jaw. However, she can usually perform a simple bone grafting procedure using bone from a donor or another area of your mouth.
The next step in the process of receiving dental implants is for Dr. McDonald to screw implant posts into your jaw that support the new replacement teeth. You must wait several weeks to a few months for your jaw to heal and for your remaining bone to fuse with the implant posts.
Dr. McDonald also attaches a small metal piece called an abutment above your jawline. The abutment connects the implant posts with your replacement teeth. You will receive your permanent artificial teeth at the last appointment.
Dental implants in Wisconsin Rapids WI help you chew, smile, and speak with confidence. We invite you to learn more during a personal consultation with Dr. McDonald.