Dental implants are one of the most predictable and long-lasting ways to replace missing teeth, restoring both function and appearance with a stable, natural-looking solution. Whether you are missing a single tooth or need a full mouth restoration, dental implants can be tailored to your needs.
At Lerner Lemongello Dentistry, implant care is led by Dr. Gerard J. Lemongello Jr., a University of Florida College of Dentistry graduate with decades of experience in cosmetic and comprehensive restorative dentistry. With advanced training and a focus on precision, dental implants are planned to function comfortably, look natural, and support long-term oral health.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants have a very high success rate and are known to last a lifetime, but they will need proper care just like natural teeth.
Practicing good oral hygiene, regular visits to Lerner Lemongello Dentistry, and avoiding damaging lifestyle habits are recommended for the upkeep of dental implants.
Types of Dental Implant Restorations
Dental implants can be used to replace a single missing tooth, several teeth, or even an entire arch. The type of dental implant restoration recommended depends on the number of missing teeth, the condition of the jawbone, and the patient’s overall oral health goals.
- Single-Tooth Dental Implants: Replace one missing tooth using an implant post and a custom dental crown designed to blend naturally with surrounding teeth.
- Implant-Supported Bridges: Used when multiple teeth are missing in a row. Instead of relying on natural teeth for support, the bridge is anchored securely to dental implants.
- Full-Arch Or Full-Mouth Dental Implant Restorations: Designed for patients missing most or all of their teeth, providing a stable, long-term alternative to traditional dentures while restoring function, comfort, and confidence.
The Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants offer many benefits for replacing missing teeth, whether you need to replace one tooth or all your teeth.
Natural Look, Feel, And Function
A dental implant restores a lost tooth and looks, feels, fits, and functions most like a natural tooth compared to other forms of tooth replacement. Dental implants are strong and stable. Unlike any other form of tooth replacement, dental implants preserve bone and help maintain a healthy lifestyle.
A Long-Term Solution
Dental implants are a long-term solution to restoring and replacing your teeth. Implants do not decay like teeth. Unlike traditional tooth-supported bridges, the teeth holding the bridge can decay and need treatment again in the future. When properly placed and cared for, dental implants can last a lifetime.
Secure And Comfortable
Unlike dentures or removable bridges, dental implants stay in your mouth. They never shift, move around, or fall out. Dental implants let you chew and eat without worry.
Freedom To Enjoy The Foods You Love
Dental implants allow you to eat your favorite foods. Taste and enjoy the foods you love. You can bite naturally and eat what you want without discomfort. Enjoy ribs and corn on the cob. Experience the freedom to eat, taste, and enjoy the food you want.
No Cavities
Dental implants do not get cavities. Cavities do not occur in an implant-restored tooth or replacement teeth.
Preserves Natural Teeth
Dental implants can help to preserve natural teeth. Placing a tooth-supported bridge requires grinding down the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth, changing them forever. Dental implants do not attach to natural teeth.
What to Expect During the Dental Implant Procedure
Step 1: The Damaged Tooth Is Removed, and the Area Is Prepared
The damaged tooth will be removed unless it is already missing. The dentist will prepare the area in the bone where the implant will be placed.
Step 2: Dental Implant Placement
Once the prepared area is complete, the dentist will place the dental implant.
Step 3: Healing and Osseointegration
A healing period of the appropriate duration for each situation will be recommended to ensure the implant’s complete integration into the bone tissue.
Step 4: Abutment Placement
When osseointegration (fusion of the implant) has been completed, the patient will return for the placement of the abutments, or the implant components that are essentially extensions of the implant to create a tooth. These abutments will serve as the anchor attachment for the new artificial tooth, typically a dental crown.
Step 5: Impressions for the Implant Crown
The dentist takes impressions of the implant abutment and the surrounding teeth to ensure the resulting crown blends with the correct bite. These impressions will serve as the basis for fabricating the implant crown in a dental laboratory.
Step 6: Temporary Crown Placement
A temporary crown may be fabricated and fit to the implant abutment to be worn by the patient while the final crown is being made.
Step 7: Final Crown Placement
When the implant crowns are finished, the dentist will remove the temporary crowns and check the color and fit of the permanent crown. Once the ceramic crown is checked for fit and matches the natural teeth, it will be permanently cemented in place.
Is Dental Implant Treatment Right for You?
Generally, everyone is a candidate for some form of dental implant restoration, from single-tooth replacement to full-mouth restoration.
Ideally, patients in the Palm Beach Gardens area who wish to receive dental implants must have adequate bone mass in the area to be treated, as this is necessary to support the implant. If the jawbone lacks sufficient thickness or width to support a dental implant, bone grafting can be performed to prepare the area for successful implant placement.
Patients must also be free of any periodontal or immune diseases that may interfere with subsequent healing, allowing the dental implants to fuse completely with the underlying bone and connect intimately with the surrounding gum tissues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
Typically, the success rate of dental implants exceeds 95%. Dental implants are among the most predictable and long-lasting ways to replace a tooth. The life expectancy of most dental implants is for a lifetime, unlike other forms of crowns or bridges, which can decay and will need to be treated again. With proper care, dental implants can last a lifetime.
Is It Necessary to Replace Missing Teeth?
The most obvious reason to replace a missing tooth is the effect on your appearance, especially if it is a tooth you can see when you smile.
But it’s not just about aesthetics. The loss of even one tooth means the loss of function of at least two teeth, including the opposing tooth when you chew. The loss of one tooth allows the remaining teeth to move out of place, leading to shifting of the bite and jeopardizing the stability of the remaining teeth.
When a tooth is lost, the surrounding bone is no longer stimulated and begins to resorb, leading to a loss of jawbone. The jawbone supports the face and lips, and bone loss can cause facial collapse and premature aging.
Replacing even one missing tooth is important for appearance, function, biting and chewing, and overall health. If you can’t chew food properly, it can lead to poor digestion and poor health.
How Is 3-D Imaging Used for Dental Implant Placement?
3-D imaging is used to visualize the entire jaw and teeth three-dimensionally. This allows the optimal placement of dental implants relative to adjacent teeth, the jawbone, and other jaw structures.
This allows for the safest, quickest placement for comfort and healing. It also allows for planning multiple implant placements when replacing all or most of the teeth and provides proper support for larger implant bridges.
Why Choose Lerner Lemongello Dentistry for Dental Implants?
Dental implant treatment benefits from advanced training, precision planning, and comprehensive restorative expertise. Dr. Gerard J. Lemongello Jr. is a graduate of the University of Florida College of Dentistry and has been in private practice since 1987, focusing on cosmetic and comprehensive restorative and rehabilitative dentistry. He is an accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and a member of the American Dental Association, Florida Dental Association, and Academy of General Dentistry.
Dr. Lemongello serves as a senior clinical instructor with New York University’s Rosenthal Institute and has held leadership roles at the Atlantic Coast Dental Research Clinic. His commitment to implant-related excellence is reinforced by hundreds of hours of continuing education each year, national lectures, and publications in leading dental journals.
Restoring Smiles With Dental Implants in Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Dental implants offer a dependable, long-term way to restore your smile, your ability to chew comfortably, and your overall oral health. With proper care and professional oversight, dental implants can restore comfort, function, and confidence for patients in Palm Beach Gardens and North Palm Beach, Florida.
If you are exploring dental implants and want to understand your options, call 561-627-9000 today to schedule a consultation and determine the best path forward for your smile.