Dental Implants Procedure in Birmingham
Losing your teeth is often a painful and traumatic experience. Not only is a missing tooth unsightly in a smile, but it can also affect your bite and even the types of food you eat. It leads to bone loss in the jaw, which can alter the shape of your face. Those with missing teeth tend to look more aged because the loss of bone allows the face to collapse. In Birmingham and the surrounding areas, many patients feel embarrassed about their missing teeth, so they avoid smiling to cover it up.
One of the best solutions for missing teeth is through having dental implants installed. While most people in good health are candidates for dental implants, this might not be the case for those patients with cancer or diabetes. Even if you have a significant bone loss in your jaw, bone grafting can make implants possible in time.
Missing teeth can arise from an unfortunate accident or certain oral diseases, but thankfully they can be replaced with the help of dental implants. A dental implant procedure involves the replacing of missing teeth with artificial ones. There are different types of dental implants, but Dr. Maniscalco at Maniscalco Cosmetic & General Dentistry will advise you which type is the best for your oral health condition.
What Are Dental Implants?
Initially, many patients believe that dental implants will function the same as their natural teeth. In fact, the implant itself is actually a titanium screw that is surgically installed in your jaw, which is then used to support a dental crown. The dental crown is the replacement for the visible portion of your tooth.
Serving Birmingham, Alabama, and the surrounding counties, at Maniscalco Cosmetic & General Dentistry, we offer both single tooth and multi-tooth implants. Dr. Maniscalco also performs the All on Four methods because no matter how many teeth you have lost, you need only four implants on either jaw. By using traditional dental implants, you could need up to eight. Receiving an All on Four means less surgery and recovery time, while also decreasing the overall costs.
Modern dentures have come a long way regarding fit and appearance. While receiving dentures may have crossed your mind, keep in mind that they will not stop bone loss in your jaw. Dental implants, on the other hand, encourage bone growth. You won’t have to worry about bone loss or an aging face since the implants will prevent sagging. Unlike dentures, dental implants are permanently anchored, so they will never slip or slide around your mouth. You will be able to go back to eating all of the foods you love, and even chew gum!
The term surgery might intimidate most people, when in fact anything that involves cutting into your mouth is considered a surgical procedure. Dr. Maniscalco is experienced in performing implant surgery, so you have nothing to worry about. A local anesthetic is used before the implant surgery, so you will not feel pain, and you will remain conscious. Implant surgery is not that much different from having a filling or an extraction.
Before implant surgery, many patients will have their damaged tooth extracted from their jaw bone. Usually, they will also need a bone graft to ensure there’s enough material for the implant to be installed. When your jawbone heals, the dental surgeon will place the dental implant metal post in the jawbone.
After your implants are installed, your jaw and the surrounding tissues will need time to heal before your final smile is completed. During this period, Dr. Maniscalco will give you a temporary set of dentures. The healing process typically takes a few weeks. Once the area is completely healed, your crowns will be installed, and then you can enjoy the full functionality of your mouth along with a beautiful smile.