Dental Implants

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are essentially roots for artificial teeth. They’re metal posts, similar to screws, which fit securely into your jawbone, filling the socket of a missing tooth. Implants support replacement teeth, or crowns. 

Implants blend seamlessly into your mouth. A replacement tooth supported by an implant looks and works just like your natural teeth. With proper care, implants can last the rest of your life.

Implants are a breakthrough in restorative dentistry. Before implants, your options for replacing missing teeth were limited to dentures and bridges. These appliances restore some of the function of missing teeth, but they don’t look as natural as implants, can interfere with speaking and chewing food, and require replacement every few years.

Another advantage of implants over dentures or bridges is that they don’t require modifying your existing teeth. Other, older forms of prosthetic teeth may require filing down your surrounding teeth or using your teeth as support. Implants, by comparison, simply fit into the space left by a missing tooth.

Am I a good candidate for dental implants?

Implants are an excellent choice for adults in good dental and overall health who have one or more missing teeth. If you’re healthy enough for minor oral surgery, such as a tooth extraction, you can safely get implants.

It’s easiest for your dentist to install implants if you have healthy gums and a strong jawbone to support the implants. However, thanks to advances in dental technology, you can still enjoy the benefits of dental implants even if you’ve had a history of gum disease or bone loss in your jaw. You may just need an additional procedure to prepare your mouth for the implants.

If you’re unsure about whether you need implants, consider that just one missing tooth can have significant consequences. Your other teeth can shift out of place, affecting your facial appearance, and you may experience problems with speech and chewing. Dental implants can prevent these complications.

What is the process for receiving a dental implant?

Dental implants require a few office visits. At the first office visit, your dentist thoroughly examines your teeth, gums, jaws, and bones to confirm that you’re a good candidate for implants. If so, they install the implant in the socket of your missing tooth.

You then need to wait for your gums to heal around the implant, and for your implant to become part of your jawbone. This process can take 3-6 months. At the following appointment, your dentist installs an abutment, a metal post that directly supports your artificial tooth.

Once your gums are healed from the abutment installment, which may take up to two weeks, your dentist takes impressions of your teeth. A lab uses the impressions to construct your replacement tooth, or crown, which fits perfectly into your mouth. 

At your final appointment, your dentist attaches your crown to the abutment, and you can enjoy your newly functional smile.

To learn more about dental implants, schedule an appointment at Magnolia Family Dental online or over the phone.