General Dentistry

Dental Implants

It used to be that you only had two options for replacing missing teeth: bridges and dentures (partial or full).

Dental implants offer an excellent third option.

Dental implants are permanent and protective. Unlike bridges, they don’t require us to do work on the adjacent teeth for support. Although they do require some special care, they’re the closest thing to natural teeth that you can get.

Commonly, dental implants are made from titanium, which is sometimes treated with different elements to help it integrate better with your jawbone. Biocompatible all-ceramic implants are also an option.

Once the implants have been surgically placed in your jaw, we place an abutment on top – a kind of extension of the implant on which the final restoration will sit. Sometimes, this can be done at the same visit; other times, we need to wait until the implant is better integrated with the bone.

Once all the soft tissues have had time to heal, we place the final restoration – one or more teeth – on top.

All told, the process can take several months, but to hear our patients talk, you know the results are worth it.

Dental implants are long-lasting, reliable, and functionally superior to other methods of replacing teeth. By preserving dental function, oral health is protected and total body wellness is preserved.

Should you need an implant, we have a network of trusted oral specialists that we would refer you to.

Contact us

Smiles by Shields
3940 San Jose Park Dr.
Jacksonville, FL 32217