If you have one or more missing teeth, dental implants from Southland Dental Care could be the answer. Implants are prosthetic teeth that look and perform much like your natural teeth.

Although Dr. Hanookai has the highest success rate of any area dentist, implants can and do fail periodically. To ensure your dental implants are as successful as possible, here are some things the best dentist in Sherman Oaks will consider.

Quality of Implants

At Southland Dental Care, The best implantologist in Los Angeles, we always ensure your implants are manufactured to the highest quality standard. There are numerous implant manufacturers whose products have not yet been evaluated, so you should utilize them with caution.
Dr. Hanookai typically recommends dental implants that have been manufactured in Sweden, as those tend to have the highest success rate.

Failed Osseointegration

Once your implant is placed, a process known as osseointegration takes places. Put simply, this is the fusion of the jawbone and implant together. When this does not occur, it is known as a failed osseointegration. A failed osseointegration is characterized by an implant that is loose or falls out. It can also been deemed a failure if there is more than 1mm of bone loss the first year or greater than .2 mm after the second year. Dr. Delaram Hanookai, the best implantologist in Los Angeles, will ensure there is adequate bone structure to support the implant, as this is a leading cause of failed osseointegration.

If Dr. Hanookai determines you do not have enough bone to support an implant, she may recommend a bone graft first in order to provide you with the highest success rate possible.

Aside from inadequate bone structure, a few other causes of failed osseointegration include:

  • Sudden force to the teeth or gums before osseointegration is complete
  • Damage to the surrounding tissues
  • Fractured implants
  • Infection (Peri-Implantitis)

Anyone can be subject to an infection despite being treated by the best dentist in Los Angeles. Peri-implantitis is a common infection that affects the tissues surrounding dental implants. This infection can cause inflammation of the gums, and could even spread to the bone surrounding the implant. A number of things can cause it, including poor dental hygiene or dental cement that escapes from underneath the crown and becomes caught in the gums.

If you experience peri-implantitis, you will need to be seen right away by Dr. Hanookai, who is considered by many to be the best implantologist in Los Angeles. She will then determine if you simply need more conventional treatment to eliminate the infection or should consider removing the implant altogether.

Nerve or Other Tissue Damage

Placing implants requires inserting a titanium screw into the gums and jawbone. This must be done very carefully by the best implantologist in Los Angeles in order to prevent nerve or other tissue damage. The nerves surrounding the teeth are very sensitive, so damage to one of them could result in severe pain, tingling, numbness, or extreme sensitivity. These sensations can affect other areas besides the tooth, including the tongue, lips, gums, cheek, or chin.

The improper placement of dental implants can also affect surrounding tissue. When this happens, you may experience more pain than usual coupled with heavy bleeding. You might also have more moderate bleeding that does not go away within a few days. These are all signs of tissue damage, and should be addressed at once by Dr. Hanookai, who is considered by many to be the best dentist in Sherman Oaks.

Immediate Loading

Dental implants usually require two visits. The implant is placed during the first visit, followed by a dental crown six to 12 weeks later. This two-stage process allows the bone plenty of time to fuse with the implant before adding a crown. However, in some cases a dentist may perform immediate loading, which involves placing the crown and abutment during the same appointment.

While there are some benefits to immediate loading, the best implantologist in Los Angeles will nonetheless approach this method with caution. Patients with significant bone loss are not good candidates for this treatment, and should therefore commit to a two-step procedure. During your consultation, Dr. Hanookai may determine there are other factors that would make you ineligible for immediate loading. Please follow her advice carefully to ensure the highest success rate possible for your implants.

Sinus Difficulties

Dental implants placed on the upper row of