Dental Implant Overview
What is A Dental Implant?
As you can in the picture above, a dental implant is a procedure that replaces roots with metal, screwlike posts. The goal is to replace damaged or missing teeth with artificial ones that work as well as healthy teeth.
What about dentures or dental bridges? Well, these can also be options. It all depends on your unique case and which option suits you best.
Is A Dental Implant Right For Me?
As mentioned above, you have other choices like dentures or dental bridges. However dental implants may be a better option for you depending on you unique case. You may consider a dental implants for some of the following reasons:
- You have one or more missing teeth.
- Your jawbone is adequate enough to secure implants or able to have a bone graft.
- Are unable or unwilling to wear dentures.
- You can commit several months to the process.
What to Expect?
Dental implants are typically done in stages. Further, the time in between procedures counts as healing time. Some of the steps involved include:
- Damaged tooth removal.
- Jawbone preparation (grafting), when needed.
- Dental implant placement.
- Bone growth and healing.
- Abutment placement.
- Artificial tooth placement.
As mentioned a few times, the whole process may take several months. A majority of that time is for healing and waiting for new bone growth in your jaw.
Placing the Dental Implant:
First, your dental surgeon will cut open the gum to expose the bone. Next, holes are drilled into the bone where the metal post of the dental implant will be placed. This post serves as the artificial root. Therefore, it is implanted deep into the root.
You will have the metal post but still no tooth. At this point, a partial/temporary denture can be placed for aesthetics.
Once the healing process is further along, you will get a dental crown that screws onto the metal post.
Conclusion
We’ve provided you with a brief overview on dental implants. As always this is general information and your case may differ. If you think you may need a dental implant, do not hesitate to contact our office and set up an appointment. An appointment will determine if your a candidate for an implant or if another option is a better option for you.
