A dental implant acts as an artificial tooth root. Your jawbone fuses with the implant to provide a secure platform for a prosthesis (such as an artificial tooth or an entire denture). 
Dental implants consist of 3 parts:

• Implant (screw): Acts as an artificial root
• Abutment: Connects the implant to the prosthesis
• Prosthesis: The visible part that looks a like natural tooth

Dental implants may be an option when 1 or more teeth are missing. Your dentist can help determine whether they're right for you.

Our surgeons use several types of dental prostheses:

• Single prosthesis: This is used to replace a missing tooth. One implant is all that’s needed for support. 
• Partial prosthesis: This replaces 2 or more teeth. Two or 3 implants are used for support. 
• Complete denture prosthesis: This replaces all the teeth in an upper or lower jaw, or both. The type of prosthesis (removable or fixed) determines the number of implants needed:
• Removable: Connected to implants via devices like clips and bars, allowing easy removal for cleaning, typically supported by 4 to 6 implants.
• Fixed: Permanently attached to a frame secured to the implants, requiring four or more implants. They can only be taken out by an oral health care professional.

Depending on how many teeth you’re missing, you may have a single, partial or complete prosthesis. The more teeth that need to be replaced, the more implants you’ll need. We usually don’t make a permanent prosthesis until your jawbone has fused to the implants. Until then, your surgeon may recommend a temporary prosthesis.

There are several types of dental implants:

• Single dental implant: Ideal when 1 tooth is missing and you want to replace it for aesthetics, comfort and function. It replaces the tooth with a crown attached to the implant.
• Implant-supported bridges: Ideal for several missing teeth, using implants (instead of natural teeth) as anchors.
• Fixed dental bridge: Helps maintain alignment of surrounding teeth, improving eating, speaking and aesthetics.
• Implant-retained overdenture: Uses multiple implants to secure a full denture, enhancing stability and preventing the denture from becoming dislodged.
• Full-mouth implants: A comprehensive solution for extensive tooth loss, providing a permanent, screw-retained prosthesis that can be removed by a dentist for maintenance.

We use other types of implants and prosthetics in certain situations. Your provider will assess your needs and give you options so you can choose the treatment plan that’s best for you.

Jaw pain, difficulty chewing or a clicking or locking jaw can all be signs of a TMJ disorder. It may be caused by arthritis, a jaw injury or excessive teeth grinding.

TMJ treatment varies, ranging from self-managed care and physical therapy to medicine or surgery. Sometimes in-office procedures such as Botox and trigger point injections can be used to conservatively manage TMD symptoms.

Our oral and maxillofacial surgeons can help evaluate what’s causing your discomfort and create a personalized treatment plan.

Oral and facial trauma includes a range of injuries that can affect your mouth, jaws, face and neck. These can result from things like contact sports, car accidents, falls or burns.

Whether repairing a fractured jaw, repositioning teeth or addressing soft tissue injuries, our oral and maxillofacial surgeons are trained to handle the full range of facial injuries. 

The latest techniques, including minimally invasive procedures, help restore function and aesthetics. We’ll guide you through the healing process so you can regain your confidence and get back to living the way you want to. 

Cleft lip and cleft palate are congenital conditions that affect a person’s upper lip or roof of mouth. They can cause challenges with feeding, speech and hearing. 

If your child was born with a cleft palate or cleft lip, our surgeons can correct their condition with surgery that has them back home in just a few days.

When your child has an approved cleft team by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, you can count on care that meets the highest national standards.