The best way to replace real teeth is to have dental implants. In order to do so, you have to undergo a minor surgery so that the implants can be placed into your jawbone.
The process is time consuming. You have to go through many procedures and it takes a few months to complete it. But, the end results are great. You have permanent artificial teeth. The implants work just as if they are real.
Want to learn about dos and don’ts and the types and procedure or dental implants? Hop in and let’s start!
What is it?
Dental implant is a structure that replaces a tooth. The surgeon inserts an implant into the jawbone. It is similar to a screw.
The implant acts as an artificial tooth and is also called a crown. With the help of a device called an abutment, the artificial tooth is connected to the dental implant.
The color of the crown depends on the patient. It can be golden or silver. Fitting is according to the size of your mouth and it acts as if it’s a real tooth.
Advantages:
New York Total Dental website provides a list of some of the advantages of implants. The benefits of dental implants include the following among others:
● They are natural and comfortable
● They have a high success rate
● Enhances the chewing function
● Risk of cavities nearby is reduced
● Maintains the bone at the site of the missing tooth
● Sensitivity is decreased in the nearby teeth
● There is no need for physical maintenance
However, keep this in mind that implants are not meant for everyone. You need to check the jawbone first. Make sure that it is capable and healthy before it undergoes the implant surgery because if it’s not, then it can be very painful.
Types:
There are two types of dental implant: one being endosteal and the second being subperiosteal
Endosteal is one of the common implants found in the world. The surgeon links them with the jawbone and each one of them can hold either one or more than one artificial tooth.
As compared to endosteal, a subperiosteal implant is placed on top of the jawbone. One of the reasons why dentists place them at the top of the jawbone is that some people do not have much height when it comes to their jawbone.
Safety:
According to a research, around three million people have dental implants in the US and this number is increasing every year.
Dental implants are safe if an experienced surgeon is performing it. It is also one of the procedures which ensures the health of the jawbone and it also stimulates its growth.
Risks:
Where dental implants are easy and useful, they are not meant for everyone. Dental surgeons cannot operate on people who have an acute illness, a metabolic disease, bone infection or a tissue disease.
If a person has none of these issues, then the surgeon can perform dental implants. In other cases, dental surgeons do not suggest dental implants to people who:
● Are heavy smokers
● Have habits such as tooth grinding
● Behavioral or psychological disorders
● Have HIV
● Diabetes
● Osteoporosis
● Are undergoing chemo or radiation therapy
If people who are undergoing an implant surgery have the following things above, then the chances of dental implants failing are high.
Procedure:
Since we all have different structures, everyone experiences a different procedure. There are certain things you need to keep in mind before having dental implants:
● Number of teeth
● Placement requirement
● Location of the implants within the jaw area
● Quality and quantity of bone where you are going to have the implant
● Your oral and overall health
Depending on these things, additional procedures might be required. These procedures include:
Sinus Augmentation:
In this procedure an implant is very difficult to place at the top of the jawbone because it can affect the location of the sinuses.
However, before placing the implant, the surgeon needs to perform a procedure known as sinus augmentation where they lift the position of the sinuses to allow the bone to develop in order to make the implant successful.
Ridge Modification:
Some people have jawbone abnormality. This prevents the development of the bone where the implant is needed.
In that case, the surgeon performs a procedure known as ridge modification. In this process, the surgeon uplifts the gum so that the deformed area of the bone can be exposed.
The surgeon then repairs the bone and builds up the area. Due to this, the quality of the jawbone increases for the dental implant surgery to take place.
Now you know about the dos and don’ts, types and procedures about the dental implant surgery. Make sure that you follow the instructions given above and make an appointment for a medical checkup before opting for a dental implant surgery!
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