Dental Implants

Dental implants are an important treatment if you are missing a tooth because it can restore form and function and ensure that you maintain a proper bite. Without an implant, your teeth can shift and you could lose healthy jawbone over time. Dr. Shirley and Dr. Hermes offer dental implant placement and restoration services at our Shreveport general dentistry office.

A dental implant acts as an anchor to support a porcelain crown and create a tooth that looks natural.

What does the implant process entail?

The road to getting dental implants begins with a consultation with Dr. Shirley or Dr. Hermes. The dentist will determine whether you have enough bone or gum tissue to support the implant or if measures need to be taken to build up more bone or gum tissue.

The implant is a tiny, titanium screw that Dr. Hermes can place in-house during an office procedure under local anesthesia, rather than referring you outside our practice to another provider. We understand that some patients are fearful of dental procedures, and having a procedure performed by someone you know and trust in our office can mean the difference between having this important procedure done or not.

If you have dental anxiety, we offer oral sedation and nitrous oxide to keep you comfortable during the procedure.

In some cases, we can fit your implant with a temporary crown the day your implant is placed. In others, you may need to allow some time- typically three to six months- for your implant to fully integrate into your jawbone.

After the implant is anchored to the jaw, the crown is placed over it by one of our dentists. The final result is a tooth that looks, feels and functions just like a natural tooth.