Losing a tooth can seriously impact your confidence and make you feel embarrassed to show off your smile. Dental technology has improved immensely over the years and now dental implants can help complete your smile. Dr. John Baron in Santa Cruz, CA, is here to help you understand how dental implants can fill in the gaps in your smile and if you’re a good candidate for them.

How Dental Implants Work

Losing a tooth doesn’t only affect the aesthetics of your smile but can also affect your oral health in the long run. When you lose your tooth, your gum loses the stimulation it once got from your tooth root and this can cause your jawbone to start to disintegrate and weaken, causing your face to sag. Dental implants from your dentist in Santa Cruz, CA, are made of a titanium post and a dental crown. The titanium post is inserted into the gums and fused into the jawbone, which helps provide that needed stimulation and helps keep your face from sagging in the future.

Once this titanium post is fused and your gums have healed, your dentist will cover it with a dental crown. The dental crown is custom-designed to match the shape and size of your natural teeth and will blend in seamlessly with your smile. Since the crown can also be color-matched, no one will ever notice you were missing a tooth in the first place.

Not only are dental implants natural-looking, but they’re functional and durable as well. Implants are strong enough to bite and chew just like a natural tooth and can last for years with proper care. It takes no extra effort to care for dental implants and your smile will be healthy as long as you brush and floss daily.

Contact Your Dentist Today!

Contact Dr. Baron in Santa Cruz, CA, at (831) 426-9200 today to learn more about dental implants and how they can give you the confidence to show off your smile again!

Have you been wondering if dental implants are right for you? Your dentist in Santa Cruz, CA, Dr. John Baron, can help you determine if you're a good candidate for this popular tooth restoration option.

The benefits of dental implants

Unlike sharks and alligators, humans can't regrow lost teeth. Fortunately, dental implants offer the next best thing. Implants are small posts placed in openings in your jawbone created during minor oral surgery. The implants are made of titanium, a metal that bonds easily to the bone. Once your dental implants completely bond to your jawbone, they'll serve as the roots for your new teeth.

Dental implants are attached to dental crowns, synthetic restorations that replace the tops of missing teeth. Crowns are created from impressions of your mouth made during a visit to the Santa Cruz dental office. Connecting implants to crowns creates brand new teeth that feel and function just like natural teeth.

Implants offer these advantages:

• Excellent Biting Ability: Some tooth restorations decrease your biting power but not dental implants. Thanks to your strong roots, you'll be able to continue to eat a variety of foods with your new teeth.
• Healthy Jaw: Jawbone resorption, a condition that occurs when the jawbone shrinks after tooth loss, can change your appearance and lead to further tooth loss. Implants stimulate your jawbone and keep the bone strong and healthy.
• Straighter Teeth: After you've lost one or more teeth, your other teeth try to fill the gap in your mouth. Unfortunately, this causes your teeth to become misaligned, which can cause bite problems. Drifting doesn't happen if you fill the gaps in your smile with dental implants.
• Improved Self-Confidence: Looking in the mirror after you've lost teeth can be a little depressing. Since our society values a healthy, full smile, you may find yourself feeling less confident in social or business situations. Luckily dental implants improve your appearance and can boost your self-confidence.
• No Limits: Dental implants can help you improve your smile no matter how many teeth you've lost. They're equally effective in replacing all of your teeth as they are restoring a single lost tooth. In fact, implant-supported dentures can improve your comfort and your biting power.

Renew your smile with dental implants! Call your Santa Cruz, CA, dentist, Dr. John Barron, at (831) 426-9200 to schedule your appointment.

Lost teeth could result in premature aging because of facial sagging. Without the tooth root’s support, the jawbone will eventually break down. As this happens, your facial structure could be compromised and cause that sunken hollow look to your cheeks.

Replacing lost teeth with dental implants, however, will prevent the jawbone’s deterioration and stimulate natural growth and regeneration. No other tooth replacement solution can do this. This is why aside from feeling and working like real teeth, dental implants are considered the best answer to missing teeth.

Here at E. John Baron DDS, INC. in Santa Cruz, CA, your dentist Dr. John Baron uses implants for replacing one or more missing teeth and securing a denture or bridge to replace multiple lost teeth.

Understanding How Dental Implants Work

One crucial benefit of implants over other teeth replacement options is that they directly connect and grow into the jawbone. Once you lose a tooth, bone loss is inevitable since the jawbone will no longer receive stimulation from the lost tooth root.

By utilizing a dental implant, which is constructed from titanium, to replace the lost tooth root, it will fuse with the jawbone and form a stable bond to support the restoration that will be placed on top of it. Keep in mind that the dental implant site will require several months to bond properly to ensure a healthy and sturdy fusion with the jawbone before the placement of the tooth restoration.

What’s in a Dental Implant?

In general, a dental implant comprises three parts, the implant post itself, the abutment, and the tooth restoration. The implant is a tiny threaded screw that will be implanted surgically into your jawbone. It functions as a synthetic tooth root and replaces the tooth root you lost along with you lost your tooth. The abutment is the part that connects the restoration to the dental implant.

The tooth restoration, which could be a crown, denture, or bridge, connects to the abutment, topping off the dental implants. The specific kind of restoration that will be used will depend on the number of lost teeth that need to be replaced. Regardless of which type of restoration, however, you can rest assured that your dentist in Santa Cruz, CA, will ensure that your custom restoration will match your other teeth.

Reach Out to Us For More Questions or Information on Dental Implants

Dial (831) 426-9200 to arrange a consultation with your Santa Cruz, CA, dentist Dr. John Baron today.

Could this dental restoration be the solution to your tooth loss problems?

There are many options available when it comes to treating tooth loss. Here in Santa Cruz, CA, our implant dentist Dr. John Baron wants to give you a reason to smile again without those embarrassing gaps between teeth.

Dental Implant Background Info

Before we decide whether or not you are a good candidate for implants, you may want to know the basics about them first. A dental implant is an oral prosthetic that is made up of three different parts:

• A metal post (the implant)
• An abutment (sometimes built-in to the implant; it connects the implant to the crown)
• A false tooth or teeth (dental crown; dentures)

The skinny metal post is surgically placed within the socket of the missing tooth where it will lie within the jawbone. Over the course of several months, the jawbone and gum tissue will heal around and fuse together with the metal implant to form a permanent structure. From there, the false tooth is placed on top of the implant to complete the restoration.

Who Should Get Dental Implants?

Most healthy adults who are missing one or more teeth can benefit from getting dental implants here in Santa Cruz, CA. Of course, you will have to visit our aesthetic dentist for a consultation so you can find out. During the consultation, we will,

• Go through your medical history
• Discuss your treatment goals
• Perform an oral exam
• Take x-rays of your mouth

All of these steps will help us determine whether or not you are right for dental implants. It is also imperative that you maintain good general and oral health. The oral exam and x-rays we take will help us spot problems such as decay, gum disease, infection, and bone loss, all of which will need to be addressed beforehand. Patients with chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure should have these conditions properly managed before they get dental implants.

Women who are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant are not ideal candidates for dental implants. Children and teens are also not right for dental implants because their jawbones haven’t fully developed yet.

If you think you meet the criteria above and you are ready to start your journey to get dental implants in Santa Cruz, CA, then it’s time to schedule a consultation with us. A complete smile could be yours again, just call (831) 426-9200 today!

Dental implants literally have changed the face of dentistry over the past 30 years. How? Well, dental implants in replace missing teeth from root to crown, and they support multiple prosthetic (artificial) teeth by way of fixed bridges and full and partial dentures. Could you qualify for dental implants from Dr. John Baron in Santa Cruz, CA? Read more here about these restorative dentistry wonders.

The basic dental implant

It has three parts: a titanium metal screw, a post and a lifelike porcelain crown. Dr. Baron inserts the titanium screw directly into the patient's jaw during a simple, in-office surgery. After many weeks of healing, he attaches the post and crown.

What makes the dental implant so special? Traditional tooth replacements just rest on top of the gums. As time goes on, the gums and jaw bone underneath deteriorate. Remaining teeth that adjoin the empty tooth socket actually weaken and drift toward the open space.

However, in the case of a dental implant, the bone adheres to the device via osseointegration. The National Center for Biotechnology Information says osseointegration provides both a structural and a functional connection. In other words, the fully integrated dental implant looks like a real tooth and acts like a real tooth, too. In fact, the more an implant is used for biting and chewing, the stronger the bond between the jaw and the device becomes.

Qualifying for dental implants in Santa Cruz

Implant dentists such as Dr. Baron use dental implants to replace single teeth, multiple teeth in a row or even an entire set of teeth. So if you need fixed bridgework or dentures, you may qualify to receive dental implants.

Dr. Baron carefully evaluates his prospective dental implant patients. He looks for strong systemic and oral health and sufficient jaw bone to support the devices. If the jaw bone is weak, he may use augmentation procedures to build it up.

Living long-term with implants

Expect your dental implants to last for the rest of your life, says the American Dental Association (ADA). They simply need regular flossing (once a day) and twice daily brushing just as your natural teeth do.

See Dr. Baron semi-annually for cleanings and check-ups. Disciplined oral hygiene keeps implant sites free of harmful tartar and plaque which can cause peri-implantitis, an infection that can threaten implant retention. Dr. Baron likes to see his patients quit smoking as well.

Support your smile

If you're missing teeth or anticipate an extraction, consider the benefits of dental implants. Contact E. John Baron DDS in Santa Cruz, CA for a personal consultation today. Call (831) 426-9200.

Tooth loss can really bring your smile down, but our Santa Cruz, CA dentist can change all that.

I’m sure we can all agree that no one wants to deal with tooth loss, but for millions of Americans, this situation is all too real. If you hate what tooth loss has done to your smile and you wish you could get your smile back, then find out how our Santa Cruz, CA, dentist Dr. John Baron could help provide you with the next best thing to natural teeth.

What are dental implants?

These titanium posts may not seem like much to look at but they are actually going to replace your missing tooth’s roots. That’s right! When we position the implant into the jawbone the implant will naturally combine with the bone and tissue over the course of several weeks to become one resilient structure from which to support an artificial tooth or teeth.

Implants can be a great way to replace a single missing tooth or even all of your teeth. If you are a denture wearer who hates how your dentures fit and wants a more reliable option, then it’s time you considered getting dental implants, which can better support your dentures and prevent them from moving and shifting around.

Who is a good candidate for implants?

Many adults looking to replace one or more missing teeth will be thrilled to hear that most people end up being ideal candidates for this restorative dentistry. Here are some of the factors we will need to consider to make sure that dental implants are right for you:

Your oral health: Teeth and gums must be healthy and free of decay or gum disease. We will need to make sure that those with gum disease have their condition under control first.

Your general health: While those with long-term health conditions like heart disease and diabetes can still get implants we will want to make sure that you have any chronic health problems properly under control with medications and other treatment options. Having a healthy immune system is imperative for this treatment to be successful.

Your age: Adults are the best candidates for implants, but teens and children aren’t. The jawbone will need to fully develop before we can place an implant.

Habits: Smoking and bad oral hygiene are two issues that can have detrimental effects on both your oral health and the health of your implant. Smokers are more likely to suffer from implant failure than non-smokers. Those who don’t properly care for their teeth and gums may also find themselves dealing with implant complications.

No one should have to deal with an incomplete smile and, with amazing options like dental implants, you don’t have to. If you want to learn more about getting dental implants in Santa Cruz, CA, then give us a call today.

Keep decay away with these healthy tips.

When it comes to taking care of our smiles, prevention is key. Luckily, we have a host of different ways to protect our teeth from decay and infection. Whether you’re teaching your child to adopt hygienic habits or you’re looking to find the best ways to keep your smile cavity-free, you’ve come to the right place. Here are the tried and true ways to maintain a healthy smile.

Your Diet Effects Your Teeth Too

Oral Care Instructions

Protect Your Smile

Schedule Routine Checkups

Do You Want Something to Really Smile About?

It’s not farfetched to say that everyone in Santa Cruz wants a nice smile? It’s because a smile is a wordless expression used to connect to people, display emotion and improve facial esthetics.

• Veneers
• Implant Dentistry
• CEREC - Natural-looking porcelain dental crowns and bridges
• Dental bonding
• Teeth whitening 
• Tooth-colored composite fillings 

You’re In Luck: Dentistry in Santa Cruz for Multiple Dental Imperfections

Dental Implants Stand the Test of Time

Oral Hygiene Boosts Dental Implant’s “Life”

• Brush twice a day (wait 30 minutes after eating)
• Floss daily
• Eat healthy
• Schedule regular dental visits

• No slip-ups – enjoy your Christmas meal and New Year’s cheers without worrying about dental implants slipping in the mouth.
• Comfortable – Just like that warm Christmas sweater, implants fit perfectly in that open space. Plus, you don’t have to remove much of the surrounding teeth to place an implant.
• Natural looking – While you flash that beautiful smile, no one will notice the difference between your implant and the natural teeth.

Santa Cruz Dentist Answers Common Questions About Dental Implants

People all across Santa Cruz are undergoing a restorative dental procedure. And many of them are most likely thinking about choosing dental implants as their next restorative treatment. An implant receives high recommendation from dentists because of the implant’s durable and aesthetic nature. Dr. John Baron gives a quick Q&A regarding dental implants in Santa Cruz. Read on to curb your curiosity. 

Q.What’s the process for getting dental implants?

Q. Can I replace removable bridges or dentures with dental implants?

Q. Can anyone get dental implants?

Q. What advantages come with dental implants?

Is there any questions we didn't cover for you? What do YOU want to know about dental implants?