Restore Your Smile With Dental Implants in Fort Lauderdale

With nearly 70% of adults in the United States over 25 missing at least one tooth, many people are choosing dental implants in Fort Lauderdale to restore the appearance of their smile, restore their ability to enjoy their favorite foods, and experience the most natural feeling tooth replacement option.  Dr. Nancy Rotroff and Dr. Gerard Wasselle at Excellence in Dentistry in Fort Lauderdale have helped hundreds of patients restore their smiles with dental implants.

What Are My Options For Tooth Replacement ?

A dental bridge is a traditional method your dentist may use to replace one or more teeth.  Your dentist will use the teeth on either side of the gap left by the missing tooth or teeth as anchors, or abutments, for your bridge.  One or more crowns, called pontics, are used to "bridge" the gap left by the missing tooth or teeth.  Our dental laboratory custom fabricates a bridge fusing the abutment and pontic crowns into a single unit that your dentist will permanently cement in place to restore your smile.  Dental bridges are an excellent tooth replacement option.

If you are missing all the teeth on either your upper or lower arch, you may choose dentures, a removable appliance that replaces all of your missing teeth and restores your smile and chewing ability.  Partial dentures, another removable appliance, replaces several missing teeth in an arch.  While dentures have been around for hundreds of years, advances in dental technologies have provided far superior tooth replacement options - dental implants.

What Are Dental Implants?

Unlike other tooth replacement options,  dental implants are a permanent solution for tooth replacement.  They are the most natural looking, natural feeling tooth replacement option.  Your dental implant consists of three components:

• Implant fixture: A biocompatible titanium screw is surgically placed in your jawbone creating a permanent replacement tooth root.
• Abutment:  Connector between the implant fixture and the implant crown. 
• Dental crown: Your custom-made implant crown restores appearance and function of your natural tooth and is connected to the implant fixture and abutment with an implant screw.

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Dental Implants?

Pros:

• Comfort. Dental implants feel like your natural teeth
• Durability and Lifespan.  Dental implants are very strong and should last a lifetime    
• Aesthetics. Dental implants look completely natural
• Gum and Bone Health. Because dental implants replace the tooth root, it preserves gum and prevents bone loss.

Cons:

• Dental procedure. Dental implants require an approximately 3 month healing process during which your implant osseointegrates with your jaw bone before your implant crown is placed. In the meantime, your dentist will provide a temporary tooth replacement to hide the gap left by your missing tooth.
• Initial Cost.  While the initial cost of your dental implant is higher than a dental bridge, they are designed to last longer and can be more cost effective in the long run.

Am I A Candidate For Dental Implants?

During your consultation for dental implants in Fort Lauderdale, your dentist will assess your oral and overall health to determine if you are a candidate for dental implants. Your dentist will check that you have:

• Adequate bone support:  When teeth are lost, surrounding bone begins to resorb leading to bone loss. This can be corrected with bone grafting. Prior to having an implant placed your dentist will check that you have strong, dense bones to support the implants in the jawbone. 
• Healthy gum tissue: Ensures proper healing and support.
• Sinus and nerve location: Avoids complications during implantation.
• Overall health: Including any chronic illnesses.

Ready to Restore Your Smile?
If you are missing one or more teeth, dental implants may right for you. Contact Excellence in Dentistry today to schedule a consultation to learn about dental implants.  Dr. Rotroff and Dr. Wasselle are committed to helping you restore the health and aesthetics of your smile.

Dr. Rotroff and Dr. Wasselle accept most PPO dental insurance plans. To see if we accept your dental insurance, you can check your insurance company's website or call our office.  Most dental insurance companies have have a searchable list of participating dentists on their website.  While many of the plans that we accept are on our website, if you do not see yours, simply call 954-928-1666 and our friendly staff can verify if we accept your dental insurance.