Missing teeth or a loose denture can cause discomfort and embarrassment. Straumann® dental implants are an effective way to replace missing teeth or keep dentures in place and improve your quality of life. In San Antonio, Dr. Gilberto Tostado and Dr. Karina Acuña use Straumann implants to enhance function, increase comfort, and support your long-term oral health.
The Importance of Quality Implant Fixtures
When you have dental implants placed, you want them to last for your entire life. There are two ways to insure against dental implant failure. One is to make sure that your implant dentist has adequate training and is following all the accepted procedures in your diagnosis and treatment.
The other is for the dentist to be using quality implant fixtures. There are a number of companies trying to help dentists cut costs by offering economy fixtures that have been manufactured without the careful precision needed to insure lifetime success. Besides being manufactured with relaxed standards, the companies making them haven’t gone through the costly testing required to obtain approval from the American Dental Association and the Food and Drug Administration.
Straumann dental implants are a premium brand of artificial tooth roots that meet all the rigorous standards by the ADA and FDA. Dr. Tostado and Dr. Acuña prefer Straumann implants for their design and precision and feel that they offer the best assurance for long-term trouble-free service.
What Are the Benefits of Dental Implants?
Dental implant benefits include:
- Help preserve the jawbone and prevent premature facial sagging
- Increase your self-esteem
- Improve speaking and eating
- Increase comfort
- Support your oral health
- Allow you to socialize without feeling self-conscious about missing teeth or a denture that may slip or fall out
- Enhance your facial appearance
What Is the Process?
After a comprehensive examination, a review of your medical and dental histories, and a 3-D CT scan. Dr. Tostado or Dr. Acuña will determine if you are a candidate for dental implants. Dr. Acuña performs the implant surgery.
The process includes the following:
- Guided dental implant placement – Use 3-D cone beam imaging for precise implant placement
- Healing process – Allow four months for your jawbone to integrate with the implants while you wear a temporary crown or denture
- Follow-up appointments – Examine your dental implants and gum tissue to ensure they are healthy and healing well
- Denture fabrication – Take impressions of your mouth and use your feedback for custom replacement teeth that fit correctly and look natural
- Permanent teeth – Attach your permanent crown or denture to the Straumann implants
Your smile will look and feel natural.
Individual Implants
Straumann implants are an excellent choice for replacing individual teeth. For an explanation of this process, please see our main dental implants page.
To make sure these implants last a lifetime, care for them as natural teeth:
- Brush twice daily
- Floss daily
- Schedule regular hygiene and exam appointments
Implant Overdentures
There is more information on our implant overdentures page.
Maintain your denture and good oral health with these habits:
- Brush denture teeth with an extra-soft toothbrush and non-abrasive denture cleaner.
- Use a water flosser to flush out debris beneath the denture and around the implants.
- Schedule regular exams and hygiene appointments with us to ensure your gums and implants are healthy.
Straumann® dental implants and LOCATOR® attachments for a snap-on denture
Locator Implants
For an implant-retained denture, Straumann manufactures a LOCATOR® button-like component that is attached on top of each implant. With this button, you can snap your denture on or off. You can get as few as two implants, but denture stability increases with four implants.
To maintain a locator denture, you can remove it at night and clean both the denture and the fixtures. There are also silicone gaskets embedded in the denture that may need to be replaced from time to time.
Are You Interested in Dental Implants?
The decision to replace your missing teeth or removable denture with implants will improve everyday function and your long-term oral health. If you are interested in either treatment option, schedule a consultation with Dr. Acuña to address your concerns and discuss your options. Call us or complete our appointment request form.