Dental Implants

DENTAL IMPLANTS FAQs

Who performs this procedure?

If you need to have an implant, your dentist could recommend a dental expert who specializes in this field. Dental experts who do implants are periodontitis or oral and maxillofacial surgeons also known as oral surgeons. Those who put crowns, bridges, and dentures on implants are termed prosthodontics.

Who can have dental implants?

If your health is fine, gums are healthy, and the bone in your jaws is strong enough to accommodate an implant, you can have dental implants done. If your jawbone has receded or not grown correctly, you may require a bone graft for strengthening the bone. This is how you add a new bone to your jawbone. Your dentist or dental expert will let you know whether bone grafting is possible.

How do dental implants happen?

Your dentist or dental expert will closely inspect your mouth and do x-rays of your head, jaw, and teeth to see if dental implants can be done. In the beginning stage, your dentist or dental expert will place an implant inside your jawbone under the gum tissue. The latter will then be stitched back into its original place. As the tissue starts healing, the implant will gel with the bone and get affixed to the gum. This can take many months. In the next stage when the tissue has healed, your dentist or dental expert will affix an abutment to the implant.

An abutment is a post, which forms a connection between a replacement tooth and an implant. In a few cases, these two stages can happen together. What happens is an imitation replacement tooth is created and your dentist or dental expert appends it to the abutment. It is only after several appointments that the replacement tooth and the abutment may fit together properly. When several or all your teeth are to be replaced, a fixed bridge is placed on your dental implants.

A bridge allows for dental restoration and helps in replacing one or more teeth by covering an area that is toothless. The bridge is held in one place by the dental implants on both sides of the lost tooth or teeth. Looking after my dental implant(s) Since dental implants are done in the jawbone, the simulated teeth connected to the implants resemble and function like natural teeth and hence, they must be cleaned with toothbrush and floss.

Your dentist will apprise you of the proper cleaning technique. Frequent dental checkups are necessary so that your dentist can ensure your bite does not hurt and your implants are firm.

How many teeth can dental implants replace?

You can restore a single, multiple, or your entire teeth with implants (View Examples). You won’t need an implant each for every lost tooth. Just two implants can hold a detachable lower denture, while four can ensure a complete, perpetual set of bottom or top teeth.

Are dental implants excruciating?

Many find dental implants fairly easy to bear. Any discomfort post-operation can normally be dealt with by using regular anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen or OTC pain-relievers. Ice can help too.

Are dental implants costly?

Honestly, implants are costlier than other teeth-replacing techniques like bridgework or dentures. However, they last much longer too and in fact never have to be replaced. Consequently, they serve as the ultimate, cheapest alternative when seen as a major investment in one’s health and well-being.

How do you take care of dental implants?

Same as natural teeth: regular brushing and flossing in addition to frequent dental visits and expert cleaning. Though implant teeth never rot, the gum tissues surrounding them can redden or become contaminated without proper oral sanitation. Properly taken care of dental implants shall last forever.

Could my body resist a dental implant?

Frankly speaking, implants won’t be resisted by your body because they are devoid of living cells or genetically coded material. The titanium constituting them is totally biocompatible, and allergies are a rarity. However, an implant may not amalgamate with the jawbone if there is an infection due to lack of good oral care, or if biting starts too soon. The success rate in the case of implants is above 95%.

Am I eligible for dental implants?

You probably are but this can be finalized only after a thorough oral inspection including x-rays of your jaws. Please fix an appointment to start the interesting process of bringing your smile and bite back.