Dental implants are surgically inserted posts which help support and protect a missing tooth, restoring the patient’s ability to eat or speak normally. Implantation allows for a precise reconstruction of the hard and soft tissues surrounding the tooth, as well as their supporting bone structure. Implants can be made from metal, titanium or ceramic materials depending on the patient’s preference. This process is often recommended for patients who have had enough root canal therapy or those experiencing continuous tooth loss in order to avoid extracting teeth indefinitely.
How do dental implants work?
They provide an alternative to dentures and other less-effective solutions because they’re made to fit within your mouth and mimic the structure of natural teeth. The entire process takes place over the course of several months, with the first step being an incision to create a space for the implant. Once that heals, a screw is placed into the jawbone and attached to the implant. This also takes time to heal and when it does, it’s time for the final visit to our practice. We’ll use an impression of your mouth to design a personalized tooth crown and will then attach it to that screw.
What are the advantages of dental implants over other options?
If you’re considering the options, here’s what you need to know about the benefits and disadvantages of dental implants. The first thing to note is that this treatment usually involves two stages: one for surgery and one for restoring your teeth. But as we’ve mentioned, it’s not invasive at all and can be accomplished in a single visit. There’s nothing like traditional dentures that require reinsertion into your mouth each time you eat or talk. And it’s also less expensive than other options, such as dental crowns or bridges that can cost thousands of dollars.
So why do people actually choose dental implants? Let’s be honest, it’s quite an amazing process and one which you would expect to be relatively expensive. And certainly, one which most people we see don’t actually think they are in a position to have.
Why would a lot of people have Dental implants?
Dental implants are the alternative to dentures. They are titanium posts which are surgically implanted into the jawbone. Great success rates over the last few years mean that roughly half to three-quarters of patients can get dental implants; this is compared with around 10% when dentures were first invented.
Dentures used to be made with the patient’s own teeth. Dentures have been around for hundreds of years and have only had a few minor changes in that time, most notably the appearance of acrylic dentures and self-ligating dentures. But they essentially look the same.
Summary
In recent years, dental implants have become one of the more popular procedures people go through to fix their teeth. In particular, it’s been done a lot more often in younger people who are just starting out with their careers. Make no mistake about it, though: dental implants are a serious procedure and not something that you should take lightly. We’ll be reviewing all the basic facts about this procedure so you can decide for yourself if it would be right for you.