Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that provide a foundation to support artificial teeth, dentures, and bridges. They are useful for people who’ve lost a tooth (or teeth). The implants are attached to your jawbone, so they provide better support for dentures and bridges.
In some cases, when people have ordinary bridges or dentures, they experience discomfort, resulting from poor ridges, sore spots, or gagging. But then, because dental implants are attached to the jawbone, they feel like the user’s natural teeth and provide relief from discomfort.
The procedure has an overwhelming success rate of 98%, especially when done with experts like Golsen Family Dentistry. Getting a dental implant requires not only a dentist but also involves the services of a periodontist. Periodontists are doctors that specialize in the treatment of diseases of the supporting structures of the teeth, including the gums, cementum, periodontal membranes, and alveolar bones.
There are two main types of dental implants approved by the American Dental Association:
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- Endosteal implants: These are attached inside the jawbone. The jawbone is drilled, and the implants are placed inside. The gum tissue is then allowed to heal up after which a second surgery is performed to connect a post to the original implant. An artificial tooth (or teeth) is then mounted on the post.
- Subperiosteal implants: They consist of a metal frame attached to the jawbone, just below the gum tissue, to allow the frame affix to the jawbone as the gum heals. The posts are already attached to the frame to enable them to jut out of the gums for artificial teeth to be mounted on them.
Some of the advantages of dental implants:
- Neighboring teeth don’t need to be changed to support dental implants. This goes a long way in helping users improve and maintain oral health.
- Ordinarily fitted dentures can slip sometimes and cause problems with speaking. With dental implants, the dentures are affixed to the gum, so potential issues with speech are avoided.
- As with speaking, dentures can potentially cause problems when eating food. Using dental implants allow you to eat your favorite meals without any discomfort or pain.
- Since dental implants look and feel like your natural teeth, they can aid in improving appearance. This, in turn, can enhance self-confidence in users.
- Unlike regular denture fittings which can cause discomfort for the users, the attachment of dental implants feels just like having your natural teeth.
- They are long-term fixtures, so problems with maintenance and convenience of use are virtually non-existent.
- Dental implants are extremely durable. They can last a lifetime if they’re well-taken care of.
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Taking care of a dental implant is quite easy, too. It requires just the same care as real teeth – brushing, flossing, rinsing with mouthwash, and regular check-ups.
If you’re healthy enough to undergo regular dental extraction or oral surgery, then you’re usually healthy enough to have dental implants. Healthy gums and enough bones to hold the implant(s) are the major requirements for the procedure.
