Despite dental care improvements, many people suffer from tooth loss, primarily due to injury, periodontal diseases, or tooth decay. For many years, treatment options for people with missing teeth were dentures and bridges. Today dental implants are available for everyone. Waterford dental implants replace damaged and missing teeth and give you the restoration you need. You can choose to learn how the implants work before using them.
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How do dental implants work?
Implants are fused to your jawbone to provide support to the artificial teeth. Bridges and dentures mounted to implants do not slip in your mouth, especially when speaking and eating. This helps the bridges, dentures, and crowns placed on the implants feel more natural than conventional dentures and bridges.
For some people, dentures and bridges are not comfortable due to inferior ridges, sore spots, or gagging. Additionally, bridges should be attached to teeth on any side of the space left by a missing tooth. An implant’s advantage is that no teeth need to be ground down or prepared to hold the new teeth replacement.
To receive implants, you should have enough bone and healthy gum tissue to support the implant. You should also try and keep these structures healthy. Regular dental visits and oral hygiene pose a challenge to the long-term success and maintenance of dental implants.
What is involved in getting a dental implant?
First, there is the development of an individual’s treatment plan. Then the program addresses your specific needs and is prepared by professionals specifically trained in restorative dentistry and oral surgery. This team provides coordinated care depending on the implant best for you.
Next, a root implant, a metal post made of titanium, is fitted in the missing tooth’s bone socket. During the jawbone healing process, it grows around the implant, attaching it securely to the jaw. The healing process takes up to 3 months.
Once the jawbone bonds with the implant, an abutment is anchored to the post to hold down the new tooth. The dentist makes impressions of your teeth when making a new tooth and creates a model that captures all your teeth, arrangement, and type. A crown is then attached to the abutment.
Instead of more individual crowns, many patients prefer having attachments placed on the implant to maintain and support a removable denture. The dentist can also match your natural tooth color to the new tooth.
Advantages of dental implants
Dental implants are comfortable. Dental implants are attached directly to the jawbone to give prosthetics increased support and strength. During the healing process, the jaw bone grows around the titanium in your jaw, holding it firmly in place. The stability makes the implants feel like natural teeth.
Implants are versatile. Partial dentures and bridges are limited depending on how many teeth they can replace. Also, your treatment options can be limited depending on the number of missing teeth. Implants can be fitted with a crown to replace a tooth, a bridge, or a denture to replace multiple teeth. This allows your doctor to design the best treatment for you.
Dental implants provide long-term benefits and have high success rates. If you don’t feel comfortable with damaged or missing teeth, you can consider using dental implants to improve your oral health. Dr. Taylor’s Family Dental Center has a team that assesses your needs and determines which type of implant is right for you.
