What You Need to Know About Dental Implants

A missing tooth (or teeth) can pose a lot of problems when you eat. It can also make you feel bad about your appearance, lower your self-confidence, and make you hesitant to talk or smile. That’s why it’s wise to fix oral problems before they impact your life. If you’re wondering about treatments that can solve your issue, include dental implants among them. This post will walk you through all the important things you should know before choosing them.

What Are Dental Implants?  

Dental implants are artificial tooth roots made from durable titanium metal that are surgically inserted into your jawbone. Once the roots are attached, replacement teeth are fixed on them. Hence, these implants act as anchors to keep the artificial teeth in place.

These dental implants are generally of two types: endosteal and subperiosteal. The more common endosteal implant is fixed into the bone; the subperiosteal is located on the bone. This is suitable for people who have sufficient bone height and can’t wear dentures.

Who Can Get Them?

Adults can get dental implants provided they have healthy gums and enough bone to accommodate them. Consult a dentist to make sure they’re right for you. If you do choose them, make sure you follow these steps:

• Maintain good oral hygiene
• Be prepared for dental surgery
• Limit or avoid smoking

How Is the Procedure Conducted?

Want to understand the procedure going in? Keep reading.

1. Dental Implants

If you have a missing tooth, dental implants are a good choice. These are artificial roots made of titanium metal inserted into the jawbone to replace the roots of natural teeth. An artificial tooth is fixed to the implant which holds the new tooth in place. These dental appliances look natural and make your teeth appear real. They also provide comfort, improve speech and help in eating. Once attached, you don’t have to take the effort to open and clean them. Thus, they’re a convenient option and can last for many years, provided you take good care of them. That’s why can’t forget to brush, floss and rinse with mouthwash. Treat them like your real teeth and you’ll see the difference. However, don’t forget to visit your dentist for regular check-ups.

2. Extracting the tooth

Your dentist will use anesthesia to numb the area before extracting your broken or chipped tooth. How long it takes varies from patient to patient and is partly based on the severity of the damage.

3. Grafting the socket

Grafting is necessary if your jawbone isn’t strong enough to hold the implant in place. This provides a solid base for the artificial root. The recovery time for this stage again varies. For some, it can take several months before fixing the implants while for others it can be done on the day of surgery.

4. Waiting for bone growth

Some patients require time to recover after grafting. If the bone isn’t dense enough, it will be difficult for it to support the implant.

5. Insertion of the implant

Once there’s enough bone, the implants will be fixed to your jawbone, after you’ve been anesthetized of course. Thereafter, an incision will be made to highlight the bone underneath that will hold the implant in place. Then, space is built for an artificial root using a specialized drill where the implant will be inserted into the bone. The dentist will close the gums and stitch them.

6. Insertion of the artificial tooth

Once the root is fixed, the new tooth will be fixed on the implant and will appear like your natural tooth.

What Are Its Advantages?

With dental implants, you’re sure to enjoy the following advantages:

• Replacing your missing tooth will improve your speech and appearance.
• Dental implants will make eating and chewing more comfortable.
• They’re as convenient as they are removable, unlike dentures.
• They can last a lifetime with proper maintenance.

What Are Its Disadvantages?

Dental implants can be expensive, with prices ranging from $900 to $3,000 for a single implant. Moreover, as it’s a surgery, minor injuries can cause pain and discomfort in your gums. Sinus problems can also crop up, especially if the implant is in the upper jaw and protrudes into one of the sinus cavities.

Important Things to Remember

Here are a few things you should know before getting dental implants:

• You will need to visit your dentist more than once to complete the procedure, and for check-ups.
• Insurance generally doesn’t cover dental implants, unlike other replacement teeth.
• You need to maintain it like your own teeth to make it last a lifetime.
• These surgeries can sometimes fail, especially if the root doesn’t bond to the jawbone properly.

Handy Maintenance Tips

You take care of dental implants just like you take care of your real teeth, so brush and floss daily. Don’t forget to rinse after every meal to ensure there’s no food stuck in your gums or between teeth. Furthermore, remember to visit your dentist for check-ups at least once a month to ensure the implant’s in place and there are no hidden injuries.

Dental implants are one of the best solutions if you have a missing tooth or teeth. Though expensive, it’s a convenient, easy and permanent solution. And you don’t need to remove it for cleaning or maintenance. Instead, it will be just like your real teeth. So, make sure you maintain good oral hygiene to make it an investment that lasts a lifetime.