When a rear molar is severely compromised or lost because of untreated tooth decay, your restoration options might be limited. Most of the other teeth in your mouth can be restored by a dental bridge that is anchored onto the two closest teeth. Since there is no additional tooth behind the rear molars, the only viable restoration option for a lost molar is to have a dental implant installed.

A dental implant in Gilbert, Arizona, is a titanium abutment installed directly into your jawbone. Once it fuses into place, your Island Dental dentist can fit you for the crown that fits over top of it.

The implant can be installed in a single outpatient treatment session and often requires you to be deeply sedated. This means you will need to arrange to have a friend or family member drive you home after the appointment.

Titanium is the industry’s standard for dental implant abutments because it is known to be biologically inert. In time, the implant will fuse to the surrounding bone structure in a process known as osseointegration.

After everything has healed and fused, Dr. Naman B. Patel can go about the process of fitting the abutment with a crown that is made from either porcelain, gold or base metal alloys.

If you are missing a molar, you should call Island Dental at 480-725-3031 to discuss your chances of getting a dental implant.