Dental Implants

Dental implants offer the chance to permanently replace one or more missing teeth. Implant dentistry is an area of expertise for Brian Shahangian, DDS, and Bita Shahangian, DDS, of Desert Dental in the North Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Book a consultation today using the easy online tool, or call to speak with a friendly member of the administrative staff regarding appointment availability.

Why replace missing teeth with dental implants?

Missing teeth definitely change the appearance of your smile, but aesthetics are only part of the problem. Because your natural teeth anchor directly within the underlying bone tissue, they also play a role in your bone health. 

Each time you bite down or chew, you place pressure on the bone beneath those teeth. This stimulates the bone tissue, keeping it strong and healthy. When you lose a tooth, you lose that stimulation. 

Your surrounding teeth can begin to loosen as the bone that holds them in place begins to wear away. Known as resorption, this process is a leading cause of tooth loss.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants permanently replace one or more missing teeth. Because implants anchor within your bone, they keep that bone tissue healthy.

Individual dental implants consist of a metal post secured within your jaw. The visible portion of the implant is a custom crown. Some systems use a small abutment piece to connect the post and crown.

If you need to replace all of your upper or lower natural teeth, a system like All-on-4® works by using just four implanted metal posts to secure an entire upper or lower arch of crowns. You can even restore your smile in a one-day procedure.

What steps are involved in getting dental implants?

The planning stage is a critical step in getting dental implants. Desert Dental offers in-house cone beam CT scanning to determine the exact specifications of your tooth and bone tissue. This helps your dentist create a customized implant plan designed for your unique needs.

On the day of your procedure, your dentist delivers an injection of numbing medication before creating an incision to access the underlying bone. A pilot hole guides post placement before your dentist carefully closes your gum tissue around the implanted post.

A period of healing follows to give your bone tissue the chance to fuse with the post material. You then return, and your dentist attaches the custom crown to the post, which completes the implant process.

Dr. Brian Shahangian brings a wealth of training and experience to the practice. In addition to advanced implant therapy training at the University of California Los Angeles, he also completed a mini-residency in the placement and restoration of implants through Nobel Biocare™.

To learn more, book a visit using the online tool today. You’re also welcome to call the friendly office staff to check appointment availability.