There are many advancements happening in the dental industry in recent years. These advances have provided more options for those who have several teeth missing and are looking for options besides dentures to replace these teeth. This article discusses one of these options: dental implants.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are most often made from a titanium material. They are implanted into the jaw and eventually fuse with the jaw bone. This is good, because when several teeth are missing the jaw bone can begin to deteriorate.
What is the process of getting dental implants?
There are a few different options available when getting dental implants. The first option is a two-stage placement implant. With this option, the fixture implant is placed and covered with gums for about four to six months. After the fixture has fully fused with the jaw bone, it is uncovered and a healing support is placed over the implant so that the gums can be shaped. Once this is accomplished, a crown is placed on top.
The next option is that of one-stage or immediately loaded implants. With this process, the implants are placed and immediately loaded or inserted into the jaw bone. A temporary crown is placed while the implant heals, after which a final crown is placed.
Another option is that of immediately placed implants. This happens shortly after the teeth are lost, rather than waiting a longer period of time. The tooth that needs replacing is extracted and the implant is placed nearly immediately. This can mean literally immediately or it can mean waiting just a couple of months. This process is becoming more and more common.
What about the bone?
It is important that there is enough of the jaw bone left for the implants to be successful. If the jaw bone has deteriorated too far, a bone graft or a ridge augmentation may be necessary to help develop the bone and soft tissue. If either of these are needed, the process can last for several months before the jaw bone is ready for the implants to be placed.
What about after care?
With proper care and maintenance, the dental implants can last for the remainder of the patient's life. Often, this means simply brushing and using mouthwash twice a day as well as flossing at least once a day. It is, of course, important to follow any instructions the dentist may give.
Occasionally the site of the implant may become infected. If this happens, it is important to visit the dentist to get it taken care of and make sure that the infection doesn't spread.
Share19 January 2015
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