If you've ever lost a tooth because of injury, gum disease, decay or a dentist-recommended extraction, a dental implant may be a perfect option for you. Implants are durable and can be treated like your natural teeth. You can smile, speak, eat and even kiss with confidence, knowing that your implants won't slip like dentures and cause you embarrassment.
The replacement tooth matches the rest of your teeth in color, alignment and comfort. In addition, implants are more durable than dentures and don't require removal at night—or at any time. Also, dental implants have a 98 percent success rate and are known to be fairly painless.
Here are four steps associated with an implant procedure:
Consultation
The first step in receiving an implant is meeting with the dental professional who will create a personalized treatment plan for you. He or she will consider your dental and medical condition to design a suitable plan for you.
Insertion
This procedure is completed in an outpatient setting using local anesthesia and sedation, so there is no need to worry about pain.
If the tooth that will be replaced needs to be removed, your dentist will extract it. Then, he or she will drill into the jawbone and install an implant screw, which is made of titanium, to replace the root of the extracted tooth.
After the implant is placed, the gum is sewn together with dissolvable stitches, and your bone is allowed to heal and fuse with the rod. This process, which normally takes two to four months, is called osseointegration.
Gum Preparation
After your jawbone has healed and properly fused with the dental implant, the dentist makes tiny incisions in the gum to attach a healing component to the implant that helps to better shape the gums around the screw. Your gum is allowed time to heal around the component and make room for the prosthetic crown.
Crown Placement
The healing component is removed, and an impression is taken of your teeth. From the mold, the dental laboratory creates a prosthetic crown that will perfectly match your other teeth and fit your bite like your old tooth did.
An abutment is screwed into the implant, and the new crown is attached.
Dental implants can be treated just like the rest of your teeth. Be sure to brush, floss and visit the dentist regularly to keep them in good condition. If you are interested in receiving a dental implant, schedule a consultation with a dentist in your area.
Share26 January 2016
Hi, my name is Kevin Nelson and I want to tell you about my experience. I had a painful tooth so I went to see my dentist. After the examination, he said that I needed to have a root canal to save the tooth. I told the dentist to just pull the tooth instead and then he explained why that wasn't a good idea. He said that pulling the tooth would cause additional problems and then he told me what could happen. I didn't want any more problems, so the dentist did the root canal and I'm glad that he did. I wanted to write a blog to tell others about the benefits of a root canal and what to expect during the procedure. I hope that by getting the word out, other people won't make the same mistake that I almost did by getting a perfectly good tooth pulled.