Dental implants can be an excellent alternative to simple dentures or bridges. They offer you various benefits over a period of time. Here are some facts about them.
Dental implants are a reasonable consideration when you've lost some teeth,
or are going to be losing them. There are other options that should be looked into, such as dentures and bridges, but the implantation option is worth serious consideration. For all intents and purposes, they become permanent teeth.
There are a lot of advantages, though there are also some risks that you need to be aware of. Educating yourself on the procedure is the best idea, so you can make the most informed decision.
Finding a Dentist
The first thing that you want to do is find a dentist who is experienced in dental implants, as well as other tooth-replacement procedures. That shouldn't be too difficult; most professionals try to keep up with all of the latest dentistry procedures.
Find some professionals in your area that advertise knowledge and experience with implants and other tooth replacement methods, and check their references through an organization that lists these types of things.
How it's Done
If you've decided that you definitely want dental implants, then a prosthetic tooth will be made for each implantation that you need. A hole will be carefully drilled through your gum and jawbone where each prosthesis will be going. Of course, there will be sufficient anesthesia, so you won't feel this.
The prosthesis will be attached using a special titanium screw, which acts as the “root”. The amazing part of this procedure is that over time, your bone will actually meld to the artificial root, making the prosthesis as strong as a normal, healthy tooth.
After it's Done
After you have dental implants attached, there are things that you want to look for. In a small percentage of cases, there can be problems. These include infection, failure of the implant to integrate with the bone, or sinus problems caused by faulty placement. If something doesn't feel right after you've undergone the procedure, other than normal pain during healing, you should call your surgeon and discuss the issue.
Dealing with a problem early can help it get resolved sooner and more effectively. More than likely things will go fine, and you can help with healing by following all of your dentist's after-procedure instructions, and by keeping all of your follow-up appointments.
Dental implants could be just the thing that you're looking for, but it's always a good idea to be fully educated on what a procedure entails before going through with it. Consult with your dentist, and be sure to follow up after an implantation procedure is done, and you should be happy with the results for a long time.
