Dental Implant Treatment in Provo, American Fork, & Price, UT
Missing teeth can affect how you eat, speak, and feel about your smile. Dental implants replace missing tooth roots with a stable foundation for a crown, bridge, or other dental restoration.
Utah Oral Surgeons provides dental implant placement at our offices in Provo, American Fork, and Price, UT. Our oral and maxillofacial surgeons use advanced imaging and guided implant technology to plan treatment around your bone, anatomy, and long-term restorative needs.
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a small biocompatible post placed into the jawbone to replace the root of a missing tooth. As the area heals, the implant integrates with the surrounding bone, creating a stable foundation for a replacement tooth.
Once healing is complete, the implant can support a crown, bridge, or other restoration planned with your restorative dentist.
Unlike a traditional bridge that may rely on neighboring teeth for support, an implant replaces the missing tooth from the root up.
Dental Implant Options for Missing Teeth
Dental implants can be used whether you are replacing one tooth or need a more extensive restoration. Your treatment plan depends on how many teeth are missing, the health of your jawbone, and the type of restoration your dentist plans to use.
Single-Tooth Dental Implants
When a single tooth is missing, a single implant can replace the missing root and support a crown. This allows the tooth to be replaced without relying on neighboring teeth for support.
Dental Implants for Multiple Missing Teeth
Several missing teeth do not always require a separate implant for each tooth. Dental implants can be strategically positioned to support a bridge or other restoration that replaces multiple teeth.
Full-Mouth Dental Implants
For patients who have lost, or are preparing to replace, most or all of the teeth in an arch, multiple implants can support a full-mouth restoration. The number and placement of implants depend on your anatomy, available bone, and restorative treatment plan.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants are designed to provide stable, long-term support for replacement teeth. Depending on your treatment needs, benefits can include:
- Improved stability when chewing and speaking
- A replacement that functions more like a natural tooth
- Support for the jawbone in the area of tooth loss
- Replacement of a single tooth without relying on neighboring teeth for support
- Support for bridges and more extensive restorations
- A durable foundation that can serve for many years with proper care
Your surgeon and restorative dentist will help determine whether implants are the best option for replacing your missing teeth.
The Dental Implant Procedure
Every dental implant treatment plan is different, but the process generally follows several stages.
Consultation and 3D Imaging
Your surgeon evaluates the missing tooth area, your jawbone, surrounding structures, and your medical and dental history.
3D imaging helps determine whether there is enough bone for the implant and allows the surgical position to be planned around your individual anatomy and the restoration that will eventually be placed.
If your dentist has already taken imaging or referred you for implant placement, bring any available records to your consultation.
Dental Implant Placement
During surgery, the implant is positioned within the jawbone at the planned site. The treatment area is numbed, and comfort options are discussed with you beforehand.
If an extraction or bone graft is also necessary, your surgeon will explain whether it should occur before, during, or separately from implant placement.
Healing and Osseointegration
After placement, the implant needs time to integrate with the surrounding jawbone. This process, called osseointegration, creates the stable foundation that allows the implant to support a replacement tooth.
Healing time varies depending on the implant site, bone quality, whether grafting was required, and other individual factors.
Your Final Restoration
Once the implant has healed and is ready to support the replacement tooth, Utah Oral Surgeons coordinate with your restorative dentist to complete your treatment plan. Your dentist can then complete the crown, bridge, or other restoration supported by the implant.
What If I Don’t Have Enough Bone for a Dental Implant?
A dental implant requires an adequate jawbone to provide support. When a tooth has been missing for some time, the bone in that area may shrink and become too thin or narrow for predictable implant placement.
In these cases, bone grafting may be recommended to rebuild the site before, or in some cases at the time, the implant is placed.
Your surgeon will evaluate the amount of available bone, nearby structures, and the planned implant position before deciding whether grafting is necessary.
Dental Implant Planning With X-Nav Technology
Successful dental implant placement depends on more than simply filling the space left by a missing tooth. The implant must be positioned with the surrounding bone, nearby anatomy, and final restoration in mind.
Utah Oral Surgeons uses 3D imaging, digital planning, and X-Nav-guided implant technology to plan and guide implant placement around each patient’s anatomy.
This allows the surgical and restorative portions of treatment to be coordinated before the implant is placed and helps your surgeon plan the implant’s position with precision.
Dental Implant Recovery and Follow-Up
Some soreness, swelling, and tenderness around the implant site are expected during early recovery. Your surgeon will provide instructions on eating, oral hygiene, medications, activity, and care of the surgical area.
The gums usually begin to feel better well before the implant has fully integrated with the jawbone. For that reason, follow-up visits remain important even when the surgical site feels normal.
Once healing is sufficient, your surgeon and restorative dentist can proceed to the next stage of your treatment plan.
Why Choose an Oral Surgeon for Dental Implant Placement?
Dental implant placement is a surgical procedure involving the jawbone, gums, nerves, and other nearby structures. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons complete specialty surgical training after dental school focused on procedures involving the mouth, teeth, jaws, and face.
At Utah Oral Surgeons, implant treatment combines surgical experience with advanced planning and coordination with your restorative dentist.
Top Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Dr. Gary L. Crawford, Dr. William L. McBee, and Dr. Nathaniel T. Edmunds provide oral and maxillofacial surgical care at the practice’s three Utah locations.
More Than 45 Years of Combined Experience
The Utah Oral Surgeons team brings decades of combined experience performing dental implant placement and related oral surgery procedures.
Advanced Implant Planning
3D imaging, digital planning, and X-Nav-guided implant technology help surgeons plan implant placement around each patient’s anatomy and restorative needs.
Surgical Care When Additional Preparation Is Needed
If implant placement requires an extraction, bone graft, sinus augmentation, or another surgical procedure first, your surgeon can incorporate that treatment into the overall implant plan.
Schedule a Dental Implant Consultation
Utah Oral Surgeons provides dental implant consultations and surgical placement at three offices serving patients throughout Utah County and Carbon County. Choose the Provo, American Fork, or Price office most convenient for your treatment and follow-up care.
Dental Implants in Utah County and Carbon County
Utah Oral Surgeons provides dental implant consultations and surgical placement at three offices serving patients throughout Utah County and Carbon County. Choose the Provo, American Fork, or Price office most convenient for your treatment and follow-up care.
Provo Office
Mon-Thurs | 8:30 – 5:00
Friday 8:30 – 3:30
Closed Sat & Sunday
American Fork Office
Mon-Thurs | 9:00 – 5:00
Friday 6:00 – 3:30
Closed Sat & Sunday
Price Office
Mon-Fri | 8:00 – 5:00
Closed Sat & Sunday
We care for patients from communities throughout the area, including Provo, Orem, Springville, Spanish Fork, Payson, American Fork, Lehi, Pleasant Grove, Highland, Alpine, Saratoga Springs, Eagle Mountain, Price, Helper, and Wellington.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do dental implants last?
Dental implants are designed as a long-term tooth replacement option. How long an implant and its restoration last depends on factors such as oral hygiene, regular dental care, overall health, and the forces placed on the restoration over time.
How long does the dental implant process take?
The full process often takes several months because the implant needs time to integrate with the jawbone before the final restoration is completed. Treatment may take longer if an extraction, bone graft, or another preparatory procedure is needed first.
Can a dental implant be placed the same day a tooth is removed?
Sometimes. Immediate implant placement may be possible when the extraction site has sufficient healthy bone and the surrounding anatomy is suitable. In other cases, allowing the area to heal or performing bone grafting first provides a better foundation for the implant.
Will I be toothless while my dental implant heals?
Not necessarily. Temporary tooth replacement options may be available while the implant heals, depending on the location of the missing tooth and your overall restorative plan. Your surgeon and restorative dentist can explain what is appropriate for your case.
Can dental implants get cavities?
The implant itself cannot develop a cavity, but the surrounding gums and bone still need regular care. Good brushing, cleaning around the implant, and ongoing dental visits are important for maintaining the tissues that support it.