Learning More About Dental Implants Before Visiting a Dental Clinic

Learning More About Dental Implants Before Visiting a Dental Clinic

Dental implant refers to a surgical treatment that interfaces with the bone of the skull or jaw to shore up a dental prosthesis, for example, a bridge, crown, denture, and facial prosthesis. A modern dental implant is associated with a biologic process known as osseointegration, a process that allows dental implants to become a stable component of your jaw. The dental implant fixture, typically a metal frame, is initially positioned into the chin underneath your gums, and afterward, the dentist starts teeth replacement onto them. 

How Does Dental Implant Work?

A dental implant includes two fixtures, which are crown and abutment. Let’s check how do a dental implant works?

1. Crowns– A dental implant refers to the artificial tooth roots, parallel in shape to screw. When the dentist performs dental implant in your jawbone, they generally tie with natural bone and become a strong base to support artificial teeth; this process is known as crowns that refurbish your tooth to its regular function, size, and shape. 
2. Abutment– Abutment is usually known as a connector that is typically screwed into the dental implants and supports the crowns. The modern dental implant process mostly needs the attachment of this abutment as a core requirement to secure the crowns, bridge, or denture.

What is denture and bridge in dental implants?

1- Dentures : Dentures are the artificial teeth and gums that are placed to your removed or missing teeth during the dental implant process by a certified dentist. Different types of dentures are the following.

• Traditional dentures 
• custom dentures
• Immediate dentures
• Snap-in dentures
• partial dentures
• implant-supported dentures
• over-dentures
• upper-dentures
• economy dentures

2- Bridges: A dental bridge is mostly as like as replacement teeth (also known as pontic or false teeth) between one or more abutment teeth. The abutment teeth on both sides of the pontic (false teeth) used to hold it’s in the right place. This false tooth is linked to the abutment teeth using dental crowns. 

Typically a dental bridge made through porcelain material to merge with the natural teeth, however, it also made through dental some other dental materials, such as ceramic, porcelain-fused metals, silver, or gold. There are mainly four types of dental bridges uses in a dental implant:

1. Conventional dental bridges
2. Maryland dental bridges
3. Cantilever dental bridges
4. Implant backed up dental bridges

Since implants fuse to the bone of your chin, it widely provides permanent support to artificial teeth. Modern dental implants came into the focus around two and a half decades ago and over the time it has been developed with most advanced tools and techniques that allow the artificial tooth to function as natural.

Types of Dental Implants

There are different types of dental implants available that a dentist could suggest you depend on the condition of your teeth. However, considering common uses, below two types are the most common dental implants:

1- Endosteal Implants

An endosteal dental implant refers to a direct surgical implant into your jawbone. Once the adjacent gum tissue has cured, a second surgery is required to affix a post with the original implant. Lastly, an artificial tooth is connected to the post, which may be individually, or grouped on a denture or bridge. 

2- Subperiosteal Implants

As an alternative to endosteal implants, a subperiosteal dental implant is used. This procedure is usually used if a patient doesn’t have adequate jawbone for a dental implant to be placed. The subperiosteal tool implant contains a metal frame that is fixed onto your jawbone beneath the gum tissue. The metal frame gets fixed to your jawbone as the gum heals. 

When do you require a dental implant?

Numerous reasons may allow you to go for a dental implant; however, if you feel it to do, consulting with a certified and experienced dentist should work well for you. Before visiting a dentist, you may consider one or more of the following common reasons to consult a dentist for a dental implant.

• One or more missing teeth.
• Broken teeth due to an accident.
• Damaged teeth that cause serious pain and can’t be healed with a dental filling.
• Shapeless and fragile teeth and you want to fix it to feel comfortable and confident during speaking and eating.
• Vigorous jawbone corrosion that pushes your face to appear in a bad shape.
• You are unable to wear dentures.

What should you inform your dentist before a dental implant?

Before sitting with your dentist for a dental implant, you should not hide anything regarding the problems in your teeth and other associated health issues to your dentist. It will help your dentist to fix the proper types of implants that suit you. You should remember that the teeth and jawbone in your mouth are the sensitive organs in your body. So, discuss your problem in detail with your dentist before a dental implant.

How long does a dental implant take to settle?

Depends on the condition of your jawbone and the overall conditions of your teeth, a dental implant treatment may need three to six months and even more time in some cases. Most of the time usually spent waiting for the process of setting down the gums and bone healing around the implanted teeth.

How long a dental implant last?

If you are preparing to visit a dentist for a dental implant, this question will be definite to come into your mind. A recent data says, approximately 95 percent of properly executed dental implants have lasted around 12 to 13 years or more in some cases. Since modern tooth Implants are made of the most advanced materials with patient suited design, so you may rely, however, rely on a certified and experienced dentist.

How often you should visit your dentist after a dental implant?

For any peoples, a thorough dental checkup and appointment with a dentist are required twice in a year. However, since a dental implant is something sensitive and needs regular follow-up, hence you should consult with your dentist to fix the intervals of a regular follow-up and checkup after a dental implant.

Pros and Cons of a Dental Implant

Before moving into anything, you must have insights regarding its pros and cons. For your better understanding, some pros and cons of dental implants are the following:

Pros of Dental Implant

• Natural look – A high quality of dental implant provides the performance as like as natural teeth considering its function, experience, and look.
• Less maintenance required – A high quality of implanted teeth usually lasts a long time that requires minimum maintenance.
• No strain – An implanted teeth have its own strength to function without straining on other teeth that helps to keep other teeth protected and safe.
• Secure Jawbone – A high quality of dental implant defends and stimulate as usual bone growth and secure your jawbone from deterioration.

Cons of Dental Implant

• Surgery – Modern dental implant consists of the most advanced tools and surgical components that allow a dental implant easy like anything. However, a surgery procedure always a matter of minimal risks in any treatment even after the most advanced tools and may cause some health risks such as infection, fractures in your jawbone, a damaged nerve, dent to adjacent teeth, etc. 
• Time and Cost – A dental implant usually needs lots of time to complete it fully due to its process, usually 3 months to 6 months or even more in some of the cases. So far the matter related to costing, it varies and depends on the types of implant you will take. Considering various aspects, dental implant treatment is associated with high costing.

How much does a dental implant cost?

Dental implant has become a trendy treatment in the field of dentistry. Dental implant cost may vary in the range of $2000 to $12000 based on the locality, expertise, and experience of the dentist, types of implants, tools, and components used in dental implant and other associated dental works. 

It’s better to ask your dentist to provide details written treatment plan mentioning all of the associated costs including schedule, types of implants, checkup, and follow-up details that might help you decide on getting a dental implant treatment.