Implants are a reliable and natural way of replacing missing teeth. Dental implants can last a lifetime when done right but can cause more problems than they can solve if not. Here are relevant facts you need to know if you are contemplating dental implants.
How do Dental Implants Work?
Dental implants are made up of a titanium screw, a natural-looking crown and a connector for holding the parts together. An implant done this way, replaces the crown and root portions of the tooth and is located in the jawbone in almost the same manner as the actual roots of the original tooth.
This is one of the reasons why dental implants are a form of tooth replacements coveted over conventional tooth restoration choices.
Who is Eligible for Dental Implants?
It’s not difficult to be a candidate for dental implants. Generally, you only have to be able to undergo the surgery where a professional will insert the implants to fit. If you have healthy gums, good oral hygiene and a jawbone strong enough to hold an implant, then dental implants might be right for you.
However, you may not qualify if you’re a smoker, have diabetes or heart disease, or have had radiation therapy to your neck or head. Your dentist will need to carry out a series of other tests to determine whether you can get dental implants.
A Comprehensive Examination is Required Before Dental Implant Surgery is Scheduled
An extensive examination is necessary before any kind of dental implant surgery can be carried out. Imaging studies are to be performed to get a detailed look at the teeth and jaw of the patient. Dental surgeons will also be making a preliminary model of the patient’s mouth.
You will be provided with a copy of your treatment plan by the dental office and instructions on how to plan for the surgery. In most cases, before your surgery date, you’ll be told not to eat or drink anything for the previous 6 to 8 hours.
Dental Implant Procedures Have a High Success Rate
Dentists have been visited by thousands of adults and a large number of them have had dental implant treatments without any problem. The success rate of dental implant operations varies based on the individual’s dental well-being, where the implants are inserted in the mouth and the skill of the doctor who performed the operation.
Nevertheless, dental implants usually have a success rate of up to 98%. Research carried out in 2014 shows better success rates for implants when done by a dental surgeon.
There are Risks Involved When Getting Dental Implants
The surgery requiring the insertion of dental implants raises a few safety hazards for people with poor health. Some patients have complained about itchy sensations in the area of the surgery, which may be due to some minor nerve damage. This can normally be dealt with quickly.
The more serious risk involved is the chance of you developing an oral infection due to an infected wound within your mouth, while the process of healing takes place. Antibiotics may help to mitigate this.
Maintaining Good Health is Easier With Dental Implants
With lost teeth or dentures, many of the healthiest things are hard to eat, such as crunchy fruits, nuts, or tough meat. This may cause people with dentures to miss out on vital nutrients, risking malnutrition. Dentures have only about 25% of the bite strength of real teeth, whereas dental implants are equal to actual teeth. This makes it much easier to eat a healthy diet, keeping patients with implants safer for longer.
Getting a Dental Implant is a Process
Getting a dental implant is a process which can take months to complete. Often specialists, such as the team at NSOMS Auckland, will start by removing the offending tooth, followed, where needed, by bone grafting. Then the surgeon has to wait for the graft to heal properly before beginning the actual implantation. Many times, if there’s ample bone, mini-implants can be used just after a tooth has been removed.
Healing takes time, no matter what sort of implant is done. That is a good thing. It takes time for the implant and the bone to bond together so that it’ll be better than normal teeth. Only then will you put on the crown to complete your smile.
A Bone Graft may be Needed
While it sounds like a dangerous operation, bone grafting is a minor surgical procedure and can help increase the success rate for a patient when it comes to having dental implants. Bone grafts give the dental implants a more stable foundation. A tiny fragment of bone is extracted from another part of the body and used in the jaw.
There are possibilities for using artificial bones, too. When the bone in the jaw recovers, you’ll be ready to get started with the dental implant procedure.
Find out if Implants are Right for you
With tooth loss a big oral issue, growing numbers of patients are looking to the lifelong benefits of dental implants. Dental implants provide a wide variety of life-like characteristics and are the closest equivalent when it comes to a viable replacement choice to real teeth today.
If you need dental implants or have been researching alternative options for replacing missing teeth, an appointment with a dental implant specialist is the right start. Learn whether dental implants are a good option to get past tooth loss and complete your smile by scheduling a dentist’s visit today.
Conclusion
One of the best ways to get a natural and trouble-free smile is by dental implants. If you’re tired of removing dentures, or of using a bridge and you don’t want to risk damaging other teeth, a dental implant may be the best option for you.
Dental implants aren’t ideal for everybody. They can however give you a natural and comfortable smile when a tooth is missing or permanently damaged. When you think dental implants are a treatment you’d like to try, please call your dentist to explore your options.
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