What do we mean by dental implants?
Dental implants in simple words is replacing your lost tooth with a new one. It’s the replacement of the tooth roots. It provides a strong foundation for both fixed and removable replacement teeth that are an exact replica of your natural teeth. The new teeth do not rely on the adjacent teeth to hold them in place. The bone tissue of your jaw will start remodeling itself to hold the implant.
How are dental implants done?
There are many options that you can go for to replace your missing teeth but the most popular procedure that is gaining acceptance among the people is the dental implant. So how are dental implants done? The implant is usually made of titanium and is surgically placed.
After the evaluation and x-rays, it’s determined whether the replacement can be done instantly or not. If the tooth extraction took place months or years ago, then there can arise a need for bone grafting which is done to restore bone loss. It can be before the bone is ready for the implant.
Then the artificial titanium root is placed in the specific area. The titanium integrates the jawbone during this stage. The healing takes almost 3 to 4 months, depending on the patients. Once the healing is completed, the dentist fits a crown or bridge to the previously placed implant, which usually takes 14 days.
Things that are to be taken care of post-surgery
After the surgery is done, you may experience some small issues like bruises or swelling of the gum and soft tissues. To overcome this, you can take any painkiller. Usually, the dentist will prescribe you the needed antibiotic. Some common painkillers are ibuprofen, hydrocodone, etc.
Your new implant should be taken good care of just like your other natural teeth. Brush and floss the implant as recommended. Moreover, it’s also advisable to keep going for checkups to your dentist.
What advantages thus it have?
Dental implants have got many advantages:
Improved confidence: Not having your teeth can really affect your self-esteem, but after implants, you will not only get your smile back but will also start feeling good about yourself.
Easy to eat and improved comfort: Sliding dentures can turn off your mood while eating, but with implants, you can munch off your favorite dish thus, eliminating the discomfort of removal dentures.
Improves the health of your mouth: Dental implants are self healing teeth as it does not need the support of nearby teeth or any supporting bridge, thus improving overall oral health.
It’s durable: Implant teeth, if taken proper care of, can last for many years.
Are dental implants painful?
If you’re still having a thought about how are dental implants done? Are they painful? Then you should know that Dental implants are just like any other surgery, there can be some discomfort but for all good reason. The dentist tries to make sure the process is less painful. Local anesthesia or oral sedation is used to eliminate any discomfort at the time of procedure. Certain antibiotics will be prescribed by the doctor to ease any complications after the procedure.