A Comprehensive Look at Dental Implants and the Benefits They Offer

If you’ve lost one or more of your natural teeth, dental implants can restore your bite function and transform your smile forever. A dental implant acts like an artificial root for your artificial tooth. It is fixed into the jawbone via surgery and supports the artificial tooth (outer restoration).

Since an implant functions like a natural tooth, it provides better stability, strength, and natural appearance than alternative replacement treatments like dental bridges and dentures. In this article, let’s learn more about dental implants and the benefits they can help you achieve.

Getting a Dental Implant

Getting a dental implant involves several appointments and can take 6 – 9 months or longer. Below are some of the steps you can expect:

• Initial exams: Before the implant treatment, the dentist will conduct a comprehensive exam of your jawbone and mouth. It can include taking x-rays or scans of your mouth, especially the bone. Enough jawbone density is essential to support the implant sufficiently. Other issues like gum disease and tooth decay can also disqualify or delay your dental implant surgery.
• Tooth extraction: If the tooth that needs replacing is still in the mouth, the oral surgeon will remove it first. In some cases, an immediate dental implant can be placed. Otherwise, you will wait a few weeks for the gums and bone to heal before placing the implant.
• Bone grafting: If you don’t have sufficient jawbone to support a dental implant, the dentist can perform a bone graft to rebuild or repair your jawbone. It takes about 3 – 6 months for the bone to heal enough to support an implant.
• Placing the dental implant: The dentist or surgeon drills into the jawbone and inserts the implant in place. The implant is left to fuse with the jawbone in osseointegration. It can take 3 – 6 months. The dentist will place a temporary restoration to protect the implant and cover the gap.
• Placing the abutment: After the implant heals, the dentist will place an abutment over the implant. The abutment holds the artificial tooth or crown in place. You’ll have to wait for several weeks for the gums to heal. During this period, the dentist can take molds or digital scans of your existing teeth to prepare for the final restoration.
• Placing the artificial tooth: Lastly, a dental crown is placed over the abutment and implant. The restoration is customized to match your other teeth’ color, shape, and size for the most natural results.

Benefits of dental implants

There are numerous benefits of getting teeth implants over alternative treatments. These include:

• It can last a lifetime

One of the key benefits of dental implants over dentures and bridges is that they can last for decades. A recent study showed an incredible success rate of 94% for 25 years. However, excellent oral hygiene and habits are essential to extend the lifespan of your dental implants.

• Preserves the jawbone

When you lose a tooth, chewing stops, causing your jawbone to reabsorb significantly. Since dental implants replace the missing tooth’s roots, they restore your chewing ability, stimulating the jawbone. It preserves jawbone health and growth.

• A natural appearance and feeling

Dental implants have artificial roots, unlike dental bridges and dentures, which rest above the gum line. Thus, they closely look and feel like natural teeth. It would be impossible for someone to note that your implant isn’t a natural tooth.

• Keeps your adjacent teeth stable

When you lose a tooth, the surrounding teeth bend towards the gap gradually. This can lead to a poor bite or misalignments. Since an implant closes the gap left by the missing tooth, it helps the rest of the teeth to stay in their position.

• Improves your oral and facial appearance

Teeth gaps can make your smile less attractive. Similarly, they can cause jawbone loss, leading to changes in the shape of your face, like sagging skin, wrinkles, and thinning lips. Dental implants cover the teeth gaps and lift the jawbone, giving you a beautiful, youthful, and flawless smile.

• Improves your bite and speech function

Since a dental implant closely works like your natural teeth, they improve your bite function, allowing you to eat tougher foods as you would before losing your teeth. Similarly, covering the gaps in your teeth can change how air passes through the mouth, allowing you to speak and pronounce certain words better.

• Improves your self-confidence and quality of life

Dental implants improve your oral and facial appearance, making you feel more beautiful and confident about your smile. It positively impacts your mental, emotional, and physical life, increasing your overall quality of life.

Learn more about dental implants in Bristol, CT.

Do you have one or more missing teeth? Contact Admire Dental – Bristol or visit our Bristol dental clinic near you to speak with our dentist about dental implants.