What To Expect - Cerritos, CA
Expect a Life-Changing Smile
Transformation with Dental Implants
The Number One Choice to
Restore Your Smile and Quality of Life
Tooth loss can cause many problems if left untreated, including misalignment, pain or sensitivity, chewing difficulty, shifting of teeth, bone loss, and an increased risk of decay and gum disease. If you’re struggling with failing or missing teeth and are looking for top-quality and affordable dental implants in Cerritos, CA, you’ve found the right implant center! The team at OCLA Implant Center can restore your smile, even if you have severe jawbone deterioration and have been turned away by another practice!
Dr. Shawn Hofkes has advanced training in all phases of dental implantology, with expertise in placing single, multiple, full mouth dental implants and highly specialized implants that require exceptional skills. Whether you need to replace a single tooth, many missing teeth, or a full arch of teeth, dental implants provide the longest-lasting and most natural-looking option. After dental implants fuse with your jawbone, they restore 99% of natural biting and chewing power.
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a prosthetic tooth replacement that replaces your natural tooth root and consists of three parts. The screw-like post is fabricated from biocompatible titanium or zirconia. The abutment is a small metal piece placed on or built into the top of the dental implant that connects to the replacement tooth or teeth. A zirconia crown or bridge is custom-made to match your natural teeth and attached to the implant to complete the restoration.
If you get full mouth dental implants, you’ll receive a full set of replacement teeth that look and feel like natural teeth. Biocompatible and allergy-free zirconia (zirconium dioxide) has largely replaced porcelain for the crown portion because it’s more durable and can be milled from a single block at our on-site dental lab.
The Unrivaled Benefits of Dental Implants
- Permanent replacement for missing teeth
- Increased support and stability for dentures
- Restored and long-lasting natural function and smile beauty
- Improved oral, physical, and emotional health
- Prevention of bone loss and promotion of new bone growth
Our Dental Implant Procedure
Dental Implant Consultation & Planning
Dr. Hofkes will discuss your dental and medical history during your first visit. He’ll also take digital X-rays to confirm if a failing tooth needs to be extracted. At OCLA Implant Center, we believe in open communication, so we’ll discuss several treatment options, all the steps involved, the dental implant cost, and financing.
If you’re getting multiple or full mouth dental implants, we use our cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanner to analyze your underlying bone structure, nerve tissue, and sinus cavities. The 3D image created from hundreds of single images helps determine the volume and density of your underlying bone and whether a grafting procedure is required. CBCT technology is also instrumental in meticulously planning your implant surgery in Cerritos, CA.
Dental Implant Surgery
To ensure your comfort during surgery and alleviate dental anxiety, we offer all types of sedation dentistry, including general anesthesia. After your choice of sedation has taken effect, a small incision is made in your jawbone, and the implant post is placed in a predetermined location with the strongest bone density.
The dental implant is placed for single-stage procedures, and a temporary abutment is attached. With two-stage procedures, the implant is inserted, covered by gum tissue, and allowed to heal before the abutment is placed. If you’re getting full mouth dental implants in Cerritos, CA, the All-on-4 protocol enables placing temporary new teeth on the same day as surgery that you’ll wear while your implants fuse and your gums heal.
Healing & Final Restorations
As with any oral surgery, you may experience discomfort, swelling, and slight bruising at the implant site. Most patients manage pain with over-the-counter pain medication, and in some cases, Dr. Hofkes may prescribe prescription pain medication and/or antibiotics. Before you leave, we’ll provide and review important aftercare instructions to help ensure proper healing and prevent complications.
Dental implants take 4-6 months to fuse with your jawbone in osseointegration. After completing this process, you’ll return to our practice to receive your final customized crown, bridge, or full mouth prosthesis fabricated on-site. Nobody but you will be able to tell the difference between your beautiful new prosthesis and natural teeth!
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