Dental implants have become incredibly popular. They are used for replacing missing teeth. The surgeon insets the implant into your jawbone using screw-like devices. It helps provide an anchor for the crown. The dental implant helps connect the artificial tooth using an abutment. The crown is customized to suit your requirements. It fits perfectly in your mouth and matches the color of your teeth. In fact, crowns look and feel just like natural teeth.
According to My Dentist San Francisco, there are plenty of benefits of getting implants rather than dentures.
Benefits of Implants vs. Dentures:
- There is no need to take them out and clean them every night.
- Decreases sensitivity.
- Allows for better maintenance of the bone.
- Lowers the risk of cavities.
- Improves chewing function.
- Has a much higher success rate.
- Are comfortable to wear and looks natural.
It is important to note that dental implants might not be for everyone. Since the implanting device has to be bonded with your jawbone, you need to have healthy bones to undergo the procedure.
The Procedure
During the consulting stage, the dentist would first examine your mouth to see if you can even get dental implants. Dental imaging studies such as CT scans and X-rays will enable the dentist to plan accordingly. The dentist would assess the quality and quantity of your jawbone to evaluate if there is sufficient bone or more bone is required. Only when a dental implant can be placed would you return for the surgical procedure. An anesthetic would be given to you during the surgical procedure to numb the area. Other sedatives might also be given to ease anxiety and provide comfort.
The oral surgeon will extract your tooth during the first oral surgery. It is common for the site to have an existing damaged tooth. Therefore, you should prepare to get your tooth extracted. An alveolar bone graft would be placed to achieve a solid base for the implant. It should take about 2 to 6 months for the site to heal. If the site does not have any tooth present and there is bone loss, a different bone graft would be placed on top of the jawbone. The procedure would require 6 months or more for healing.
If there is sufficient bone present, the dentist will remove the damaged tooth and proceed with the implant placement during the same session. The procedure is known as immediate implant placement. If the implant is to be placed on the upper jaw, it is common for there to be limited bone. Thus, a sinus lift would be needed, and more bone would be grafted to provide support for the dental implant.
After the strong, adequate bone has been placed, the dentist would be able to place the implant. A special drill will be used during the implant placement appointment. The dental implant will be placed onto the bone. Then, a healing cap would be placed over it. The healing process would occur once the gum has been stitched up. A temporary denture would be made for replacing the missing teeth during the healing phase to ensure aesthetics. The healing time depends on the quality of the bone. You can expect anywhere from 2 to 6 months for the implant to be integrated into the bone. You shouldn’t place any stress or force onto the dental implant to ensure that it fully heals during this time. Besides this, the dentist will also call you over for follow-up appointments to avoid any infection.
Types of Dental Implants
Endosteal Implants
The most common type of dental implants that you will find is endosteal implants. They are perfect for patients that have a healthy jawbone for fusing the post. These placeholder posts look like screws. The false teeth are fitted onto these screws, which are placed on the jaw. After the treatment is complete, it should not take a lot of time for the endosteal implants to heal.
Subperiosteal Implants
Subperiosteal implants are another type of dental implant that offers an alternative to endosteal implants. They rest on top of the top rather than being fixed onto your jawbone. To place the post, a metal frame is placed. The option is only advised for patients that do not have sufficient jawbone for placing the implants.
Zygomatic Implants
Finally, there are zygomatic implants that involve a very complicated procedure. They are only recommended if you do not have sufficient jawbone for placing the endosteal implants. Instead of placing the implant onto the jawbone, it is placed on the cheekbone.
Conclusion
Once you have finished reading the post, you will know about the procedure involved in placing dental implants and the different types of available dental implants.