Despite improvements in dental care, millions of patients still suffer tooth loss, usually due to caries, periodontitis, or trauma. For a long time, bridges and dentures were the only treatments available for people with missing teeth. However, dental implants are available today.
A dental implant is a replacement of the root of a tooth. Implants provide a strong foundation for fixed (permanent) or removable tooth replacements that are made to fit your natural teeth.
Dental implants have many advantages, including:
The success rate of dental implants depends on where the implant is placed in the jaw, but generally dental implants have a success rate of up to 98%. With proper care (see below), implants can last a lifetime.
In most cases, people who are healthy enough to have regular tooth extractions or oral surgery are candidates for dental implants. The patient’s gums should be healthy and have enough bone to hold the implant. They should also be committed to good oral hygiene and regular dental visits. Heavy smokers, people with uncontrolled chronic diseases such as diabetes or heart disease, or patients who have undergone radiation therapy to the head and neck should be evaluated on an individual basis. If you’re considering implants, talk to your dentist to see if they’re right for you.
The first step in the dental implant process is the creation of a customized treatment plan. A plan is tailored to your specific needs and created by a team of specially trained and experienced professionals in oral surgery and restorative dentistry.
This team approach provides tailored care based on the implant option that works best for you. A root implant, a small titanium post, is then placed into the bone socket of the missing tooth. As the jawbone heals, it grows around the implanted metal post, anchoring it firmly in the jaw. The healing process can take 6 to 12 weeks.
Once the implant is connected to the jawbone, a small connecting post called an abutment is attached to the post to hold the new tooth securely. To create new teeth, the dentist takes impressions of the teeth and creates a model of the occlusion (capturing all teeth, their types and placement). New teeth or teeth are based on this model. Next, an artificial tooth called a crown is attached to the abutment.
Some patients may have attachments to their implants that hold and support removable dentures in place of one or more single crowns.
The dentist will also match the color of your new teeth to your natural teeth. Implants are anchored to the jawbone so they look, feel and function like natural teeth. How painful are dental implants?
Most people who have had dental implants say the procedure is very uncomfortable. Local anesthesia may be used during the procedure, and most patients report that the implant is less painful than tooth extraction.
After the dental implant, mild soreness can be treated with over-the-counter pain medications, such as Tylenol or Motrin.
We at ELLORA CLINIC believe in specialties with each treatment we offer, assigning each different treatment to the best performing doctor to reach the optimal results.
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