Nothing can take the place of a healthy set of natural teeth. But when disease or an accident ends in tooth loss, it’s good to know that there are options for restoring your smile.
You may want to choose dental implants if you:
Many patients chose implants to replace a single tooth, several teeth, or to support a full set of dentures. Implants are posts that are surgically placed in the upper or lower jaw, where they function as a sturdy anchor for replacement teeth. They are made of titanium (a strong, lightweight metal) and other materials that are accepted by the human body.
Implants are a popular and effective way to replace missing teeth. The development and use of implants has been one of the biggest advances in dentistry in the past 40 years.
Implants fuse with the jawbone, offering firm support to man-made teeth. Dentures, bridges or single teeth mounted to the implants won’t slip or shift in your mouth; a very important benefit when eating and speaking. This secure fit also helps man-made teeth feel more natural than typical bridges or dentures. Dental implants help to preserve the bone after teeth are lost or extracted. Implants are a good value, because they can last a lifetime with good care.
While discomfort can vary between people, most individuals report getting their dental implant was much less uncomfortable than they anticipated it to be. During the surgical dental implant procedure, the dentist will give you an anesthetic, so you should feel minimal discomfort if any.
They’ll use gentle techniques, and since the environment they’re working in is clean, there’s little risk of infection. If you follow the dentist’s post-operative instructions and take the prescribed antibiotics, you should experience minimal discomfort. Your dentist will likely prescribe you pain medication as well, but many individuals don’t use them.
A few factors determine the dental implant procedure timeline. They are:
• Your dental health
• Which teeth are replaced
• The number of teeth involved
• If you’ll require a tooth extraction before the implant placement
The dentist restores your mouth with an implant in two phases and the entire process can take around three to nine months. It could take even longer if you have an extraction that has to heal, or if you needed bone grafts before the dentist implanted the posts.
Fortunately, humans get two sets of teeth. When you lose a single tooth or multiple teeth because of gum disease or dental decay, implants can now replace them and serve as your third set of fixed teeth. Implants have many upsides, including:
• They improve your appearance
• They improve your confidence
• They can last a lifetime
• They allow you to have an active lifestyle
• They never decay because they’re made of titanium
•Your don’t have to worry about your teeth anymore
Dental implants, in general, have an up to 98 percent success rate.
For two days following your surgery, drink liquids and consume soft foods only like:
On day three following your surgery, eat soft foods that don’t require much chewing like:
Avoid crunchy or tough foods like rice, pizza, hamburgers and popcorn. Avoid acidic and spicy foods. Most individuals resume their regular diet seven days after their surgery.
The dentist places dental implants in your jaw by making precise holes in your bone so that they fit snuggly. They do this where your teeth are missing but where you have adequate bone to hold the dental implants. In some cases, it’s possible for them to place dental implants on the same day your dentist extracts your teeth. Typically, however, it takes around three to six months of healing before you can have your implant placed.
The average implant process occurs in multiple steps. You may require more than one healing stage. So, there’s a varied healing period, depending on your health, how many teeth you need replacing and other factors. However, the healing process generally takes anywhere from six to 12 weeks.
Dental implants can last a lifetime if you take care of them properly by regularly brushing, flossing and following your dentist’s recommendations. While your dentist can’t guarantee the lifetime success of
an implant, they can provide you with suggestions and guidelines on how to take good care of your
teeth. They’ll base these guidelines on:
Following the guidelines your dentist gives you will help ensure your implant has the best chance of lasting a lifetime.
Typically, dental insurance doesn’t cover implants. But, more companies are realizing the need for these procedures, so there are some dental insurance plans that cover implants. In many cases, your insurance may help pay for teeth the dentist places on your implants, if not your dental implants themselves. You may want to call your insurance provider and see if you have coverage for your implants.
Frank P. Licato, Jr. DMD Family Dentistry
South Plainfield