Healthy Smiles Family Dental

Healthy Smiles Family Dental in Salem, OR, offers Bone Grafting consultations and procedures to our patients. Drs. Na Xu and Mark Thomas recommend bone grafting for patients interested in receiving dental implants. If your jawbone isn't strong enough to support the implants, a bone graft is necessary. It strengthens your jaw by replacing weakened areas with other tissue matter. To learn more, contact our office.   Teeth are meant to be in a complete set. Like a puzzle, when one piece is missing the whole thing falls apart. When a tooth is missing, the bone underneath deteriorates. Your Salem dentists will take an x-ray of your jaw. This provides insight into the weakened areas. Drs. Xu or Thomas acquire the bone material either from a tissue bank or another area of your mouth. The procedure is then scheduled.   At the procedure, general anesthesia is administered. Your Salem dentist cuts along the jawbone in the selected area. The bone graft is inserted and held in place using eith...

The doctors at Healthy Smiles Family Dental replace teeth and restore patient smiles with dental implants. Implants are a permanent restorative option for teeth that are missing or have been extracted.  They look and feel like natural teeth, and are the most permanent and efficient means of replacing lost teeth. An implant is placed over a series of appointments because of the healing time required.  Implants are titanium screws inserted through an incision in the gum. Over a period of months, the jaw bone heals around the implant to become a solid, stable base for the new tooth. During this time a patient is fitted with a temporary crown, and a custom crown is created to match their smile perfectly. After the jaw bone and gums have healed appropriately, the custom crown is placed in a second minor procedure.  The doctor may need to expose the head of the implant by removing some gum tissue, and the crown will be screwed to the top of the implant.  When this is complete the tooth looks...

For many years, options to restore missing teeth were limited. Fortunately today, these options have expanded into dentures, bridges, and dental implants. At Healthy Smiles Family Dental, our doctors utilize dental implants to restore a patient’s shape of the face and improve their self-esteem all while restoring the health of their mouth. Dental implants, also known as replacement tooth roots, provide a strong foundation for permanent or removable dentures that are designed to match the color of your natural teeth. Dental implants are a successful way to improve your appearance, improve speech, and make it easier to chew. Unlike teeth that slide, dental implants stay in place and can last up to 10 years with proper oral care. If you are missing teeth and would like to explore your restoration options, we can help. If you have questions or concerns regarding dental implants, please give us a call. To learn about services provided at our practice, visit www.myfamilydentistsalem.com for...