How Dental Implants Replace Missing Teeth
Dental implants can be used to replace more than one missing tooth, or they can be used to replace teeth that are painful or have undergone extensive restoration techniques that have left the teeth looking less than perfect. A dental implant consists of a post and a false tooth, called a crown. The post is surgically inserted into the gum and jaw tissue. Once the bone has fused to the titanium post and the gum has healed, the crown is placed on the post.
Why People Choose Dental Implants
- They look and feel just like natural teeth.
- There are no special cleaning requirements.
- There are no food restrictions.
- You’ll be able to chew and speak properly.
- They can be used to replace one or many missing teeth.
- They help maintain bone and gum tissue in the area of the missing natural tooth.
Dental Implant Timeline
The technology for dental implants has greatly improved over the last few years. If you have healthy gum and bone tissue, you may be able to get your dental implant in a single visit. This is because an increasing number of dentists and orthodontists are taking advantage of CAD technology and a variation of 3D printing in order to significantly decrease the time it takes to get a dental implant.
One Day Dental Implants
When one-day dental implant technology is used, your existing teeth, gums and jawbone are thoroughly evaluated in order to ensure you have enough bone density and gum tissue to support the implant. If you do, 3D images of your mouth are taken are the dental implant software create 3D images for your missing tooth. Next, a ceramic or composite tooth-size block is placed in the crown milling machine. The machine then carves your new tooth so that it can be placed onto the titanium post. this reduces the time it takes to get dental implants from a few months to a few hours.
Traditional Dental Implants
If you have significant gum tissue loss or bone loss, cavities or gum disease, these issues will need to be corrected prior to the insertion of your dental implants, which means you won’t be a good candidate for same-day dental implants. In the case of missing gum and bone tissue, grafts can be performed. If gingivitis or periodontal disease are a problem, treatments can be utilized in order to restore the health of the gums. If you have small cavities in other teeth, our dentist will fill them to stop the dental decay and restore the structural stability of the affected teeth.
Once your bone and gum health has been restored, you could be a good candidate for same-day dental implants, or our dentist may recommend traditional dental implants. The traditional dental implant process can take months. This is because the titanium post is inserted into your jaw and gum tissue first. Then, the implant is given time to fuse with your jawbone. This can take anywhere from one to three or four months. During that time, followup appointments will be scheduled to make sure your healing normally. Once your jaw has fused to the post, an appointment is scheduled to put the crown on the post. This may require making an incision in your gum to reveal the post. Once the post is revealed, the crown is affixed to the post. More healing and adjustment time is needed after the placement of the crown, and additional follow-ups are typically needed to ensure your jaw and gum are accepting the implant. The total timeframe for this process can be as long as six months.
Dental Implants at Our Dental Office
To explore getting dental implants at our dental office and to learn if you’d be a good candidate for same-day or traditional dental implants, schedule an appointment today. Our dentist would love to talk to you about the benefits of implants and the process so that you can once again love your smile.
