Everything You Need to Know About Dental Implants
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are one of the most popular restorative dentistry solutions for patients who are missing one or more teeth. There are three components that make up a dental implant: the body, the abutment, and the crown. The body is a small screw, often made of titanium, which is secured into the patient’s jawbone. The abutment screws into the body and supports the crown. The dental crown is placed onto the abutment and is a false tooth made to look like the patient’s natural teeth.
Advantages of Dental Implants
- Permanent – The screws are placed directly into the patient’s jawbone during a surgical procedure and cannot be removed at will.
- Strong and long-lasting – Implants that are well-cared-for with routine hygiene and examinations are meant to stay in place for years, not move, and last through normal wear and tear. In comparison, other alternatives may need to be replaced every five-to-seven years.
- Mimics natural teeth – Patients can bite, chew, and brush as they do with their regular teeth.
- Prevents bone loss – Patients who do not replace missing teeth risk bone loss and jaw function over time.
- Space maintenance – Teeth adjacent to the missing tooth may shift in the patient’s mouth. Replacing the missing tooth with an implant gives the other teeth a buffer from moving.
- Improves appearance – Patients don’t have to worry about gaps in their mouths since dental implants look and feel just like their natural teeth.
How Are Dental Implants Placed?
If you believe you might be a candidate for dental implants, you will first need a consultation. During that consultation, you and your dentist will determine if you are a candidate for one or more implants and then develop your treatment plan.
Placing dental implants is often a multi-step process that can take several months to fully complete. If necessary, your dentist will extract the problem teeth. Then, your dentist will make small incisions and insert the titanium screw into your jawbone. You will receive a local anesthetic or another sedation option so you do not feel any pain during the procedure. Then, you will be sent home to recover and wait for the incisions to heal.
After several months and follow-up visits, you will return to receive your prosthetic tooth. This procedure will only be done after your implants are stable in your jawbone and you have been cleared in post-operative appointments. Finally, your new smile will be complete!
How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?
Implants can be an affordable restorative solution. This is especially true since alternatives to implants need to be replaced more often. This will largely depend, however, on the patient and their particular oral needs. Factors that can impact cost include the number of implants, type of implants, and insurance, among others.
During a consultation, you will review your treatment plan with your dentist and determine if implants are the solution for you.
Dental Implants in a Day
The surgery described above is the typical process for placing implants. Some dental offices, including Dental365, work with oral surgeons who offer a faster solution – TRUETEETH. TRUETEETH is a dental implant system that allows patients to have new implants in as little as the same day. Learn more about the process in our TRUETEETH blog.
Schedule a Dental Implant Consultation with Dental365 Today!
You can visit any of our Dental365 locations in New York or Connecticut for a dental implant consultation. Many of our expert dentists specialize in implant dentistry. Contact us at (844) 365-DENTAL for more information, or to schedule an appointment.