Dental Implants: The Know-It-All Guide

Dental Implants – Introduction

Dental implants are a replacement for a tooth’s root failure. It’s a titanium frame that goes into the jawbone to provide false teeth with the necessary support. Also, It’s located beneath the gums and works exactly like a tooth root.

The new false teeth go over them. So, the question now is Can I still have implants if I have some of my original teeth?

The answer is yes. You can have any number of teeth implants from just one to all of your teeth.

Why Should You Have a Dental Implant Instead of Regular Dentures?

Most dentists recommend dental implants because they are better than regular dentures cosmetically and functionally. Also, people prefer how dental implants look. They like the fact that they don’t have to insert, remove, and clean their dentures regularly.

Dentures require all kinds of caring; from regular brushing to flossing. Dental implants require less care; it saves time and effort. Also, one of the main reasons why people opt for implants over regular dentures is to eat without any worries. Eating hard or sticky foods with traditional dentures is difficult. Dental implants are just like your original teeth. So eating with them is just as normal as eating with your previous natural teeth.

Also, dental implants are better because you don’t have to worry that your denture may slip while talking to someone. Implants provide support and protection to your jawline and they prevent neighboring teeth from shifting into the gaps between your teeth if you have any.

So, For Replacing Missing Teeth Are Implants Always The Right Solution?

Implants don’t always replace missing teeth because the condition of the jaw bones varies from a patient to another. Your dentist will perform some tests to see whether your jaw bones are healthy enough or not. If there is enough bone and it is healthy enough, the implant can be placed. If the jaw bone isn’t healthy enough or if it’s not enough, it is important to graft bone into the jaw area before the implant.

Now, What Are The Different Types Of Dental Implants?

As we said, dental implants are made of titanium. Titanium is the best possible material to use in dental implants. It has been used for years and all of its results are great. Also, the post or the abutment that keeps your new tooth in place is titanium too. If your dentist uses ceramic posts, it’s okay but it’s better to ask for titanium.

Crowns or the new teeth are manufactured of different materials. If the tooth is at the front of the mouth, it will be a creation of ceramic or porcelain. Also, ceramic and porcelain teeth look almost natural and they look like the rest of your natural teeth.

If you will replace your back molars, your dentist will probably recommend metal crowns. First of all, they won’t be seen easily. Also, they are tougher and more effective than ceramic and porcelain. Metal crowns are also the ultimate choice for people who are at risk of destroying their dental implants due to an insufficient amount of bone or unhealthy jaw.

So, How Do Dental Implants Work?

Dental implants and the jawbone merge providing maximum support for your new teeth. The denture, bridge, or the crown that you will place on the implant won’t move or shift during talking or eating.

When dental implants fit with dentures, bridges, and crowns, they feel and look more natural than traditional dentures and bridges.

Conventional bridges and dentures aren’t even possible for people suffering from poor ridges, sore spots, and other problems.

Also, it is critical to prepare adjacent teeth to bridge or a denture to compensate for the space of the missing tooth to attach the bridge or the denture. Dental implants don’t require any adjacent teeth to hold the denture, bridge, or the crown.

Once your dentist makes sure that your gums are healthy and your jaw bones are enough to provide support for the implant, you can receive it. You need to know that keeping your dental implant and the other structure(s) healthy must be a priority. So your oral hygiene and your dental visits are essential to keep the dental implant healthy for a long time.

Due to all these benefits and advantages, dental implants are more expensive than all tooth replacement methods. However, they are the best and most effective.

There are two main dental implants classified as safe by the American Dental Association.

• Endosteal Implants: These implants go surgically into the jawbone. By performing another surgery, we can attach an abutment when the gum tissue surrounding the implant heals or post to the implant. When your dentist makes sure that everything is okay, your new teeth will be attached to the post. If they are more than one tooth, they will be grouped by a bridge or a denture.

• Subperiosteal Implants: These implants consist mainly of a metal frame. This frame goes beneath the tissue of the gum onto the jawbone. When the tissue of the gum heals completely, the frame and the jawbone become combined.

Posts emerge through the tissue of the gums, with an attachment to the metal frame. Finally, the new teeth will be attached to the posts.

So, How Long Does This Whole Dental Implant Procedure Take?

You should be prepared for the next few months if you want to get a dental implant. It a process that consists of many steps. Once your dentist makes sure that you are suitable for the procedure, he/she will make you a schedule for having a dental implant. So the schedule may start with an extraction operation to remove the affected tooth (or teeth) for the replacement.

Once your dentist places the implant, your jaw, gums, and surrounding tissues will take about 6 to 12 weeks to heal. During this period, your dentist will keep checking your jaws and gums to make sure the healing process is over before attaching the new tooth (teeth).

Are Dental Implants Safe?

Yes, dental implants are completely safe. Like your natural teeth, they will live forever as long as you keep good oral hygiene and care for them. Looking after your dental implants and going for your dental visits will determine how long they’re going to live.

When you neglect your natural teeth, they form a coating. The same happens when you neglect your implants. If you neglected the coating too, it’ll lead to serious complications such as bleeding, gum infections, sore spots, and other problems.

If you care for your implants and if your jawbones are strong, enough, and healthy, you can live with your implant for decades without a single problem. However, all surgical implants don’t have a lifetime guarantee.

So, Does the Dental Implant Procedure hurt?

The procedure of placing an implant isn’t as difficult as taking a tooth out. As the procedure takes place under local anaesthesia. During the procedure and after it, you won’t feel any kind of pain. However, you won’t be very comfortable during the following week.

If the condition is complicated or if this discomfort is irritating, your dentist will also prescribe a sedative for you.

Some people think that they will go under general anaesthesia. But general anaesthesia is only used in very complicated conditions.

What About the Dental Implant Aftercare?

Your dentist will give you a list of instructions that you should follow to look after the implant. Also, you may need some painkillers the week after the surgery if you can’t withstand the discomfort. So make sure to follow the instructions typically.

So, What Makes Dental Implants Fail?

Many reasons may cause dental implants failure.

If your dental implant failed after a short time, it will be due to failure in the healing process of the jawbone. This failure is called osseointegration and it’s usually associated with other health problems such as heavy smoking, an uncontrolled case of diabetes mellites, or insufficient density of bones.

Also, gum problems and poor oral hygiene can also lead to dental implant failure.

There is a list of symptoms indicating the failure of the implant including pain, shifting or mobility of the submerged part of the implant into the jawbone, loss of bone, bleeding per gums, pus formation, and other symptoms.

So If your dental implant failed, don’t worry; it can be treated. The old implant is removed and the area of the implant is repaired using a bone graft. Bone heals slower than soft tissues and the procedure requires complete healing before placing another implant. Also, that is why the process may take up to several months.

If your dental implant failed after a long time, it is probably peri-implantitis which is a chronic infection affecting gums and bone supporting the implant. It’s a difficult condition to treat. So the treatment includes improving your care, antibiotics, surgery to restore the bone, and laser therapies. Furthermore,
Prosthetic complications are less common. However, they are easier to treat.

And Finally, The Conclusion

If you live in Zirakpur or Chandigarh and considering dental implants, SmileWide provides patients with the ultimate care. We examine your teeth and give you a list of the options you have. Book an appointment for dental implants consultation.