Despite all the dental care improvements as of today, there are still millions of Americans who suffer a loss of teeth brought by injuries, periodontal diseases and tooth decay. For many years, patients resolved their missing tooth problems with dentures and bridges. But nowadays most dentist recommend dental implants.
What exactly happens in a basic tooth implant procedure?
Assuming that you only have one missing tooth and you are exceptionally healthy, the dental implant procedure will most likely happen this way.
Implant site preparation – The dentist opens the gum tissue to expose the bone area where he or she will be placing the implant. If there is enough bone structure to locate the implant, then bone grafting is not needed.
When the site of the healthy bone is established, the dentist will use a special drill to set the hole where the implant will be received. After the implant has been placed, the tissue covering the bone will be closed and sutured. The stitches from the suture will be removed one to two weeks after the procedure.
Healing process – You have to wait for at least three months to consider the site of the implant to have healed. Some patients take more time and wait up to six months. This time frame allows the implant to stay secure and fuse to become a part of your lower or upper jaw.
Attaching the implant post – When the implant is secured and steady, and the gum tissues are healed, a special post is attached to the implant. It will serve as the support of the porcelain crown that will be attached in the site area.
Placing the crown – After your dentist takes your impressions and create a porcelain replica, the porcelain crown is then slipped over the post and cemented. After this procedure, the final crown will perfectly blend in with your other surrounding teeth.
After the procedure is finished and the stitches are fully healed, a dental implant will look exactly like your natural teeth.
There are a multitude of benefits for acquiring replacement tooth roots. Apart from giving you back your full set of teeth, here are the other reasons why this procedure is recommended by dental practitioners.
Cost effective solution – Traditional dental bridges are expected to last for only five to seven years (ten years with proper care). But at some point, they need replacing. Over time, the cost of these replacements can add up. Dental implants on the other hand only need periodic adjustments and they can last a lifetime.
Address speech problems – Teeth dentures can slip within the mouth and cause you to slur or mumble your words. If your problem has been poorly-fitted dentures, dental implants will solve your speech problem and eliminate the embarrassment of slipping teeth.
Removes the inconvenience of dentures – Because you need to remove your dentures every night and clean them separately, it takes more of your time to maintain your oral hygiene. Dentures are always at risk of slipping or falling out. If you are a low-maintenance type of person, it is best to consider dental implants.
As implants are like your natural teeth, you can simply stick to your old routine of regularly brushing and flossing your teeth. It takes less time and less hassle.
Eases chewing problems – Even if your dentures are well-fitted, they still cause eating discomfort. The best advantage about getting dental implants is that they function completely like your own teeth. They allow you to eat your food with confidence and eliminate the worry of slipping dentures.
Retain your natural face shape – For older adults, their main concern about getting dental implants is to retain their natural face shape and smile. Missing teeth can sag your face and make it appear sad and sunken. Dental implants allow you to maintain your natural smile and facial shape, making you look more youthful.
As local anesthesia is used for this, you will not feel any pain. But if you are wondering what the procedure will feel like, most patients report that they only received mild discomfort. Some clients also say that they experienced more discomfort from a tooth extraction rather than from a dental implant.
After getting a dental implant procedure and the anesthesia wears off, it is expected that you will experience pain and soreness. But the aftermath of the procedure is nothing to be worried about as they are easily remedied by over-the-counter pain relievers.
