Dental Implants
Losing a tooth can be a huge burden. Not only can it affect the way you eat, but also the way you smile. If you have lost a tooth, it can be a source of embarrassment or self-consciousness.
Dental implants are simply replacement teeth that are attached to pieces of metal, which are placed within the jawbone to restore both the look and function just like natural teeth.
Dental implants are a wonderful solution if you have lost one or more teeth, and want a permanent replacement. If you have a missing tooth, it can cause many different problems, like allowing other teeth to drift, limiting the foods you eat, and loss of bone mass from the area where your tooth used to be.
Bridges can provide some help, but they also cause problems. With a dental implant, you can eat foods, smile, brush, and floss your teeth with confidence. Also, dental implants will prevent your other teeth from drifting, as well as retain bone mass.
Dental implants are also used to support bridges, partial dentures, and full dentures.
What does Implants involve?
During your initial consultation, the doctor will evaluate your teeth and oral health to determine if dental implants are the right solution for you and inform you about the dental implant procedure. If dental implants are right for you, the Dr. will have you schedule a time to have your implants placed.
During the procedure, you will be anesthetized in the working area so you do not get any discomfort. An incision in your gums is made and the metal dental implant will be placed within your jawbone, and then the incision will be closed.
Dental implants take time to complete because the it must fuse to the bone prior to being outfitted with the replacement tooth. This may take as little as a few weeks or as long as a few months. You will be having a temporary crown or denture during that healing period.
Once the okay has been given that the implant has fused to the bone, the Dr. will invite you back so that an impression is made for the implant and it will be sent to the lab for the fabrication of the replacement tooth.
After the replacement tooth is back from the lab, it will be cemented onto your implant in your jaw.
Widely used, dental implants have are over 95% successful. Also, dental implants resemble natural teeth so closely that people will not even know that you have a replacement tooth.