Five Interesting Facts About Dental Implants
Missing teeth dampers your smile. But, more than that, these gaps affect your dental structure. The spaces between your teeth can cause the surrounding teeth to weaken, making the situation worse. Closing these gaps is, therefore, paramount to preserve your natural dental structure. Fortunately, several dental options are available that can help close these gaps, such as dental implants. Here are five facts about dental implants.
1. Dental Implants Resemble Your Teeth
Teeth implants are made of screws, abutment, and dental crowns. This titanium screw is fixed on the jawbone to act as roots and support the artificial teeth. When fixed correctly, implants create a seamless look and resembles your natural teeth in function and appearance.
2. Dental Implant Surgery is Not As Complicated
Teeth implants are fixed in three dental visits and involve a few steps:
- Dental Examination and mapping out of your treatment plan
Our cosmetic dentistry in Philadelphia will first examine your teeth and bone density to determine if you are eligible for the implants. Next, we will discuss the types of implants available and which one is suitable for you.
Some of the options include endosteal, subperiosteal, mini implants, and all-on-4 implants. The choice of implants will depend on the number of missing teeth, bone density, and the teeth’ location.
The dentist will clean the teeth and gum to get rid of the buildup. The implants will be surgically fixed on the jawbone. At times, a bone graft procedure may be done to stimulate new bone growth if you have insufficient bone support.
If you have dental phobia, dental sedation may be used to relax you and reduce pain.
- Fixing of the abutment
The connector is fixed on the second dental visit. This helps the crown to stick to the implants. The procedure is fast and is done under local anesthesia.
A dental impression is taken to create dental crowns.
- Fixing the permanent crowns
The crowns are fixed after the bone and implant have fused together. The dentist can fix either removable or fixed crowns.
A follow-up dental appointment may be scheduled to check how the gums are tolerating the implants.
3. Implants Prevent Bone Loss
Once you lose your permanent teeth, they will not grow back. If you leave these gaps unfilled, it may affect the supporting bone and cause it to deteriorate. According to reports, 12 percent of the alveolar bone is lost within the first year. This can cause the dental structure to weaken. Furthermore, the surrounding teeth can shift to the available spaces.
It would help if you replaced these teeth to keep the bone from deteriorating. The problem with the temporary dental restorations is that the bone gradually dissolves. Since the implants fuse to the bone, you will not experience any bone loss.
4. It is Easy to Maintain Dental Hygiene
Dental implants resemble your natural teeth in appearance and function. This means that you don’t have to change your standard dental practices. However, it is still crucial to still come for your routine assessment and cleaning. Remember, though the implants are resistant to decay, the rest of your teeth and not removing plaques can cause bacteria to form.
5. They Do Not Change Your Lifestyle
You can eat whatever you want with these implants. But remember the dental crowns can get discolored, so limit over consumption of coffee, tea, or wine.
However, you may have to stay in a soft diet for the first week after implants are fixed. This will reduce discomfort as the gums heal. Also, do not skip meals because proper nutrition is important to gum health.
Final Thoughts
Dental implants can help restore your appearance and preserve your jaw bone. These implants are durable and can last for about 25 years with proper dental care. However, remember the dental crowns may need replacing at some point.
Visit The Dental Spa for more information about dental implants, the procedure, and the risks involved. We will also discuss the other dental restorations that we offer that can replace your teeth.