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Restore Your Smile with Permanent, Natural-Looking Dental Implants

At Elements Dental of Johnstown, we believe everyone deserves a healthy, confident smile. If you’re struggling with missing teeth, dental implants offer a long-term, reliable solution that looks, feels, and functions just like natural teeth. With our expert prosthodontist, Dr. Louai Salatia, we provide customized implant solutions to restore your smile’s beauty and functionality.

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How a Dental Implant Replaces a Missing Tooth

Watch this step-by-step animation to see how a dental implant restores a missing front tooth by replacing the root structure with a titanium post securely placed into the jawbone. A special healing cap is placed on top to allow the surrounding tissue to heal properly before the final custom-crafted crown is attached. This procedure offers a natural-looking, permanent solution for missing teeth, improving both function and aesthetics.

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are a revolutionary solution for replacing missing teeth, offering a permanent and natural-looking alternative to bridges or dentures. Designed to function just like real teeth, implants consist of a titanium post that is surgically placed into the jawbone, serving as a sturdy foundation for a custom-made crown, bridge, or denture. Over time, the implant fuses with the bone in a process called osseointegration, ensuring unmatched stability and durability. Unlike traditional tooth replacement options, dental implants help preserve jawbone structure, maintain facial aesthetics, and restore full chewing and speaking ability. Whether you’re missing a single tooth or require a complete smile restoration, dental implants provide a long-term solution that enhances both oral health and confidence.

Types of Dental Implants: Choosing the Right Solution for You

Dental implants come in different types, each designed to restore missing teeth in the most effective way possible. Whether you’re replacing a single tooth or need a full-mouth restoration, there’s an implant solution to fit your needs.

  • Single Tooth Implants – The most common option, involving a titanium post placed in the jawbone to act as an artificial root. A custom-made crown is attached on top, creating a strong, natural-looking replacement without affecting surrounding teeth.
  • Implant-Supported Bridges – Ideal for patients missing multiple adjacent teeth. Instead of relying on natural teeth for support, these bridges are anchored by two or more implants, protecting healthy teeth from unnecessary wear and providing a long-lasting solution.
  • Full-Arch Restoration (All-on-4® / All-on-6 Implants) – A life-changing option for those missing most or all of their teeth. This technique uses four to six strategically placed implants to support a full set of permanent replacement teeth, offering superior stability, comfort, and function compared to traditional dentures.
  • Implant-Supported Dentures – A secure, snap-on alternative to traditional dentures, these dentures attach to implants, preventing slipping and improving both comfort and chewing ability.
  • Mini Dental Implants (MDIs) – Smaller in diameter than standard implants, MDIs require less bone structure, making them ideal for stabilizing lower dentures or replacing small teeth.
  • Zygomatic Implants – Designed for patients with severe bone loss in the upper jaw, these longer implants are anchored into the cheekbone instead of the jawbone, eliminating the need for bone grafting.

Thanks to advancements in dental technology, implants can be customized to fit your unique needs, offering a long-lasting, natural-looking solution for tooth loss. A consultation with Dr. Louai Salaita can help determine the best implant option to restore your smile and improve your quality of life.

Ready to Restore Your Smile?

Take our quick online assessment to find out if dental implants are right for you.

It’s free, takes just a few minutes, and there’s absolutely no obligation. Our experienced team will review your responses and reach out with personalized recommendations to help you take the next step with confidence.

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Benefits of Dental Implants

Dental implants are the gold standard for tooth replacement, offering numerous advantages over traditional options like bridges or dentures. They not only restore the appearance of your smile but also improve functionality, comfort, and long-term oral health. Here’s why so many patients choose implants as their permanent tooth replacement solution:

  • Permanent & Durable – Designed to last a lifetime with proper care.
  • Natural Appearance – Custom-crafted to match your existing teeth.
  • Enhanced Comfort – Feels and functions like natural teeth.
  • Improved Oral Health – Prevents bone loss and preserves facial structure.
  • No Slipping or Discomfort – Unlike dentures, implants stay securely in place.
  • Eat & Speak with Confidence – Enjoy all your favorite foods without worry.

Meet Johnstown’s Leading Prosthodontist

At Elements Dental of Johnstown, we are proud to offer the expertise of Dr. Louai Salaita, the first prosthodontist serving Johnstown and Licking County. With a passion for precision and a commitment to excellence, Dr. Salaita brings advanced restorative and implant dentistry to our community, ensuring patients receive specialized, high-quality care under one roof.

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Learn More About Dental Implants at Elements Dental

A dental implant is an artificial tooth, including the tooth root. An implant is anchored in the jawbone below the gum line, providing a strong foundation for the replacement tooth. Implants have the look and feel of natural teeth, allowing patients to regain confidence in their smile.

Artificial teeth for dental implants can be permanent or removable, and implants can support crowns, bridges, or dentures. Your dentist can discuss which type of implant is right for you.

Dental implant surgery is usually performed in stages, with healing time between procedures. The surgical dentistry required for an implant may be performed by your dentist or an oral surgeon.

The process of placing a dental implant includes the following:

  • Developing a treatment plan. To determine if you’re a good candidate for dental implants, your dentist will consider factors such as how many teeth you need to be replaced and the condition of your jawbone, [your bite], and remaining teeth. Upon completion of an examination, your dentist will explain which type of treatment plan is the best option for you.
  • Damaged tooth removal. To prepare the site for the implant, bone grafting may be recommended to ready the area for the future implant.
  • Jawbone preparation (grafting) when needed. A prosthetic tooth requires an adequate jawbone in which to anchor. If your jawbone is too thin or soft, a bone graft will be required. Options include a natural bone graft from another location in your body or a synthetic bone graft, such as bone-substitute material that can provide support structures for new bone growth.
  • Dental implant placement. The tooth root implant, which is a small post made of titanium, is placed into the missing tooth’s bone socket.
  • Bone growth and healing. As the jawbone heals, it grows around the implanted metal post. This will support the implant when you chew or bite down. The healing process typically takes 3-6 months.
  • Abutment placement. Once the implant has bonded and integrated into the jawbone, a small connector post — called an abutment — is attached to the post to hold the new tooth securely.
  • Artificial tooth placement. A replacement tooth, made from digital impressions of your teeth, is then secured onto the abutment.

Success rates of dental implants vary, depending on where in the jaw the implants are placed and the risk factors of the individual, but in general, implants have a success rate of up to 98%. With proper oral hygiene and management of risk factors, implants can last a lifetime.

The advantages of dental implants include:

  • Stability. Because the implant is anchored in the jawbone, it’s as stable as a natural tooth.
  • No bone loss. Preservation of jaw bone (implants are not guaranteed to prevent all bone loss). The implant enables your jaw to retain bone matter at the site of the lost tooth.
  • Balancing function: replacement of a missing tooth or teeth benefits all teeth in the mouth by way of distributing forces more evenly over all teeth over time
  • Improved oral health. Implants can be brushed and flossed like a natural tooth, allowing patients to maintain good oral health.
  • Appearance. Depending on the site of the lost tooth, a bridge may be noticeable to others, impacting self-confidence. An implant looks just like a natural tooth.
  • Durability. With proper care, implants are likely to last longer than bridges or dentures — possibly for life.

The disadvantages of implants include the following:

  • An invasive procedure. An implant requires dental surgery, where the gums are cut open at the site of the lost tooth, and a hole is drilled into the jawbone to hold the titanium post.
  • Longer healing time. An implant requires several visits to the dentist and several months of healing time between appointments.
  • Cost. Implants are more expensive than bridges or dentures and typically aren’t covered by most insurance plans.

The procedure is performed under local anesthesia, ensuring minimal discomfort. Post-surgical soreness can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers.

The cost varies depending on the number of implants and the complexity of the case. We offer flexible payment plans and financing options to make implants affordable.

Yes! If you have insufficient jawbone, bone grafting may be necessary to support the implant properly. Dr. Salatia will evaluate your bone density during your consultation.

The complete process, including healing time, typically takes 3 to 6 months, depending on individual healing rates.