At our dental office, we specialize in restoring dental implants to help you achieve a natural, beautiful smile. While we focus on the restoration process—designing and placing custom crowns, bridges, or dentures—we refer patients to trusted oral surgeons or periodontists for the implant placement procedure. This ensures that the surgical aspect is handled by specialists with the expertise needed for a safe and successful outcome.
Dental implants offer numerous benefits, including improved functionality, comfort, and confidence. They look and feel like natural teeth, making it easier to eat, speak, and smile without worry. Plus, dental implants help preserve your jawbone structure, preventing bone loss that often occurs after losing a tooth. With the right care, they can last a lifetime, making them a durable and long-term solution for replacing missing teeth. Let us help you restore your smile and enhance your quality of life with a dental implant restoration.
A dental implant is basically an artificial tooth that replaces both the crown and the root of a missing tooth. A small titanium post forms the base of the implant and serves as the artificial "root" of the tooth.
After dental implant placement in your jaw, the area is allowed to heal for several months. During this time, the dental implant integrates with the bone. This creates a solid foundation in your gum and jawbone that serves as an anchor for the restoration attached to it.
Dental implants offer several significant benefits, making them an ideal solution for replacing missing or damaged teeth. They look and feel like natural teeth, improving both appearance and comfort. Unlike dentures, which can slip or be uncomfortable, implants are securely fixed, allowing you to eat, speak, and smile confidently. Implants are durable, often lasting a lifetime with proper care, and help preserve the bone beneath the missing tooth, preventing deterioration. They also improve speech, as they don’t cause the slurring or discomfort associated with dentures. Unlike bridges, implants don’t require altering surrounding teeth, preserving their health. Overall, implants are easy to care for and, while initially more expensive, they offer long-term value with minimal maintenance, making them a wise investment in your oral health.
With proper care, your dental implants will last for a long time—maybe even a lifetime. Taking care of your dental implants is as easy as brushing and flossing your teeth. Since your implants act and feel like your natural teeth, the process of maintaining them is the same. While your implants aren't susceptible to tooth decay like natural teeth, you can still get gum disease if you don't maintain good oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups. Visiting your Hermitage, PA dentist every six months for check-ups and teeth cleanings can help keep away any decay, infection, and more.
All-on-4 dental restorations and implant-retained dentures are advanced solutions for patients seeking a permanent, comfortable, and natural-looking alternative to traditional dentures. The All-on-4 system uses four strategically placed dental implants to support a full arch of teeth, providing stability and functionality similar to natural teeth. This procedure eliminates the need for bone grafts in many cases and offers a faster recovery time. Implant-retained dentures, on the other hand, involve securing a set of dentures to dental implants, ensuring they stay in place without the need for adhesives. Both options provide a significant improvement in speech, chewing ability, and overall quality of life for individuals with missing teeth. These restorations not only restore aesthetic appearance but also help maintain jawbone health, preventing further deterioration that can occur with traditional dentures.
Getting dental implants at our Hermitage, PA dental office is a financial investment, and many people wonder how they will afford it—especially if they don’t have dental insurance.
We are pleased to accept a third-party option that make it easy to finance the cost of your dental implant treatment.
We also offer a 10 percent clergy discount as well as a 10 percent discount for seniors age 65 and older.
If you’ve wondered about dental implants in Hermitage, PA and whether or not they’re right for you, please give our office a call. We will be happy to arrange a convenient consultation with Dr. Peters to discuss implants as well as our other tooth replacement options.
Most dental local anesthetics will wear off within a couple of hours. Generally, anesthesia will last one hour on the top and up to four hours on the bottom. If you must eat before your anesthesia wears off, choose something soft, avoid hot beverages and try to chew on the opposite side you had work done on!
If you're currently experiencing dental pain and have a waiting period until your next appointment, try this over the counter combination for relief- this cocktail has taken the place of opiods with great success and we're confident it will for you, too!
400mg Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin)
***Do not exceed limit of 6 Acetaminophen in 24 hours (3,000mg max)***
Researchers say this combination cocktail works better than prescribed opioids and are less likely to cause side effects. At Thomas Family Dentistry, we believe prescribed pain killers should be a last resort, and now with this OTC combination, we can reduce the frequency of opioid prescriptions without leaving our patients in pain!
Give this OTC cocktail combo a try, and we are confident that it will relieve your dental pain.
Daily Max limit for ibuprofen- 3,200 mg per day
Daily max limit for acetaminophen- 3,000 mg per day
For most people, dental terminology isn't that important until you actually need it! If you are wondering about some of the most common dental terms you hear, we can help!
What Are Dental Implants?Dental implants are prosthetic devices designed to replace a missing tooth. They are the most convenient and lifelike way to complete your smile after tooth loss or an extraction.
Dental implants consist of three parts:
The post is the part of the dental implant that we surgically place in your bone. Your abutment will screw into the implant and provide a foundation for your dental crown. The crown is the part that looks like a tooth and the only part that others will see when you smile. We custom design these to match your natural teeth.
A “root canal” actually refers to root canal therapy. It is the process of removing bacteria and infection from inside your tooth. A root canal can extend the life of your tooth by years – even decades.
Even though they sometimes get a bad reputation for hurting, it is actually the symptoms of the infection that cause pain, not the root canal therapy itself. We can relieve your pain with root canal therapy.
What Is a Dental Crown?A dental crown is a restoration that protects your tooth from breaking. When a tooth is damaged, it is often at a greater risk for splitting or breaking off at the gumline. A dental crown looks like a tooth and covers your tooth structure to protect it.
We can create dental crowns out of a wide variety of materials to meet your needs. Most patients prefer a porcelain crown that looks just like a natural tooth!
Are you in need of a crown, root canal or crown? Contact our office today to schedule your appointment.
Dr. Deanna Thomas is the proud owner and dentist of our practice, which she founded in 2003. With a commitment to providing exceptional dental care, Dr. Thomas has built a reputation for both her expertise and compassionate approach to patient care.
Dr. Thomas earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State University before pursuing her dental degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. After completing her education, she served with distinction in the U.S. Navy and Pennsylvania National Guard for 21 years, retiring in January 2016. Her ...
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