Dental implants consist of two main components: a metal post that is embedded in the bone and a prosthetic tooth at the top.

The metal post portion of the dental implant is typically made of titanium or titanium alloy and is designed like a screw, with multiple threads to anchor the metal in place. In addition, through a process called “osseointegration”, the bone will actually fuse with the dental implant over a few months, making it a very strong and long-lasting solution.

The prosthetic tooth is attached to the dental implant after it has healed and anchored itself. Color-matched to your existing teeth, the replacement dental crown is virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth and restores eating, biting, and chewing back to normal.

Dental Implant Installation Process

The process of receiving dental implants is straightforward.

1. After evaluating whether you are a candidate for dental implants, Boulder Colorado dental implant expert Dr. Gordon West takes an accurate impression of both upper and lower arches and sends them to the dental lab for casting. The casts are articulated and barium sulfate teeth are positioned in the proposed dental implant sites.
2. A scanning appliance is created by the lab and returned to the Dr. West, who checks the scanning appliance for proper fit. Patient is sent for CT scan.
3. After the CT scan, the information is loaded into specialized software, designed to precisely identify the optimal position for the dental implants.
4. The finished surgical appliance is completed by the lab and returned to Dr. West who positions and installs the dental implant posts into the bone.
5. These posts are then able to accept porcelain crowns to look and act like natural teeth.

Find Out Whether You’re a Candidate for Dental Implants ->